


Compass

by Teriana



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Quest of Erebor, Svrcina the greatest singer of the Earth, Time Travel, sorry not a fan of spoilers:)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2019-05-31 18:09:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 37,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15125048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teriana/pseuds/Teriana
Summary: All the personages created by the greatest Professor Sir J.R.R.Tolkien and played by prominent British and American actors in ever-magnificent movie story of Sir Peter Jackson are involved in this book version fairy-tale.Imagine that Tolkien’s heroes look like Peter Jackson’s genius actors’ stuff but live and act like in original book.Well, sometimes they do.





	1. An unexpected company

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Svrcina,  
> whose divine voice is  
> the mightiest instrument for inspiration.  
> God bless her!

_Manadh athrada adh 'wen maetha anest._

_Bypassing us, the Fate is doing her work._

 

 

_Tell me is it crazy if I waited for you baby and the day you came the sun ran out of light_

_Tell me is it foolish if I start a revolution and I go into the battle wearing white_

_Cause darling I would die a million times if I knew it made you mine, if I knew it made you mine_

_Darling I would die a million times for the rest of my life_

_And if you never show up_

_The beating of my heart erupts_

_What we never started was already undone_

_And I never get to feel your love_

_If you were here with me_

_Would I even know_

_Or would you pass through me_

_Just like a ghost_

_Tell me is it crazy if I waited for you baby and the day you came the sun ran out of light_

_Tell me is it foolish if I start a revolution and I go into the battle wearing white_

_Cause darling I would die a million times if I knew it made you mine, if I knew it made you mine_

_Darling I would die a million times for the rest of my life_

_I really wanna believe_

_In someone that remains unseen_

_Don't you know that I would give you everything?_

_But while I'm in the between_

_I will hold on to_

_Every bit of hope_

_All these thoughts of you_

_I won't let them go_

_I will search the world just to find you_

_I will keep a compass in my hand_

_There's no storm that I would never fight through_

_To find you_

_I will find you_

_I will search the world just to find you_

_I will keep a compass in my hand_

_There's no storm that I would never fight through_

_To find you_

_I will find you_

_Tell me is it crazy if I waited for you baby and the day you came the sun ran out of light_

_Tell me is it foolish if I start a revolution and I go into the battle wearing white_

_Tell me is it crazy if I waited for you baby and the day you came the sun ran out of light_

_Tell me is it foolish if I start a revolution and I go into the battle wearing white_

_Cause darling I would die a million times if I knew it made you mine, if I knew it made you mine_

_Darling I would die a million times for the rest of my life…_

I was walking down the hill humming a wonderful tune and I cast my glances far and wide admiring the beautiful mountain scenery. Here, there and everywhere but not watching my steps as usual.

The dazzling sun was high and it was blinding my eyes so that’s why I had to squint. As far as I remember it happened on May, 29th afternoon. I’ve lost my way and I lagged behind my group while we were exploring the area. I was neither discouraged nor even frightened being in splendid mood as weather was lovely and I was enjoying the nature around me and consulted my compass.

But then I looked down and saw them.

There were yellow flowers with big inflorescences beneath my feet that grew richly all over the rocky surface and they were so beautiful. I couldn’t help myself and sat down in attempt to get and smell them but I completely forgot about my heavy loaded backpack that made me lost my balance and sent me flying down the hill.

Flying head over heels, yelling and stumbling each ledge, flattening the grass, yeah, you can imagine this evidently ludicrous scene.

My final landing was rather harsh as I flopped down my face into puddle.

“Gosh!” I let out a cry of disgust and tried to get up, cursing myself and feverishly thinking where my handkerchief was.

I pulled this wretched backpack to me, starting to search it among the stuff I had inside.

“Don’t move, you dirty elf!” I heard a strange voice above me and raised my head.

There was a query creature in a very quizzical costume and funny boots and hat, with long whiskers and axe on his shoulder.

He was pointing some sort of stick at me.

I gave him a curved grin.

“Is it a joke or what?” I tried to rise from my knees, at first thinking he was a local dweller but then glanced over his appearance again and said.

“Oh! I’ve got it! You’re shooting over here?!?”

The strange man started looking around uneasily because my words disturbed him.

“Shooting? Did you hear someone shooting here?” he wondered, watching me closely. But then shook his stick in front of me threateningly. “Or these were your elf friends who were shooting???”

“A movie, I mean!” said I impatiently, pushing away his stick. “I thought you were an actor! Stop calling me elf, I am a man…Gosh! A girl!” I stretched my hand towards him. “My name’s Teriana!”

“You face’s mudded all over.” hinted the funny man in hat and giggled merrily. “I’m Bofur!”

“I know!” I cracked a smile at him quickly, fumbling in my backpack. “I was looking for my handkerchief when you came.”

“I believe you’d better wash your face in the river.” He advised. “Come with me, I’ll show where you can do it.”

I buttoned my backpack, got up, and followed him.

This strange man strode forward and I walked behind him in silence, feeling pretty awkward and pondering of his origin.  
Our promenade was short because we reached the river in five minutes approximately.  
I rushed to the fresh water and scooped it, washing my face thoroughly.  
There was not only mud on my palms.  
“Damn!” I swore with annoyance. “My mascara!” I saw the tiny particles of it and reached for a portable mirror, looking at my reflection. That was really awful! Muddy, dark spots on my eyelids and under the lashes. But the situation was saved quickly once I took out my secret bag with cosmetics. I removed all the dark traces with napkin, soaked in milky cleanser and got a grip of mascara tube, unwinding the brush and putting new makeup on my lashes.  
“Great! Everything’s fine now!” I turned my face to Bofur and smiled merrily.  
But then jumped up in the air, remembering about my phone and headphones I dropped in the puddle.  
“My god! My phone!” I cried pitifully, shaking the man and gazing at him with crazy eyes, going to dart off the place any blink. “Please wait! Watch over my backpack! I’ll be back in several minutes!”  
I rushed back rapidly, jumping over the small bushes on my way like a rabbit.  
Thank God it was there, in the place where I fell from the hill. Not far from the puddle. It was safe and sound. I picked my things up and turned back to my new friend. I was sure he could bring me somewhere, call someone to find my group that must be somewhere over there.  
I saw him again. He stood smiling near my backpack.  
“Found your lost stuff?”  
“Yeah!” responded I relieved, showing him my phone. “That’s a gift on my birthday. I don’t have a right to lose it.”  
“Ahh! Wow!” he looked greatly amazed. “That is a kinda of magic device!” he was gazing at it all his eyes.  
I laughed out.  
“Oh! Don’t make me laugh! That’s just a usual Chinese smartphone. Not iPhone of course, but it’s noteworthy.”  
Bofur eyes were watching me weirdly.  
“Frankly speaking…er…I didn’t understand a single word of you.” he claimed seriously.  
“Come on! Don’t you have smartphone of your own?” I thought he was kidding.  
“Smart…phone?” repeated Bofur and took the black thing from my palm.  
“Yes! You can call anyone you like with it, play games, watch video, make photos and listen to music! Here!” I touched the screen and Svrcina’s voice sang loudly.  
“I will search the world just to find you. I will keep a compass in my hand.”  
Next moment my phone flew out of his trembling hands to the ground.  
“Hey! Carefully!” I was lucky to catch my phone and saved it the second time during this day.  
Frightened Bofur was beholding me that kind of way as if he has just seen something really horrible.  
“What?” asked I, gazing at him in my turn. “Don’t like pop music? I can choose another track. What do you like? Rock, jazz, classic?”  
He kept dead silence, watching me cautiously.  
“You are very strange…” he uttered slowly, scanning me from head to toes. “ Your clothes, your things…I don’t know how you put this voice inside of this box but it really looks and sounds awesome.” Declared Bofur.  
I giggled suddenly because he called me strange. I was sure he was strange for me.  
“That’s just music, pal!” I smiled nicely and took away my smartphone out of harm’s way.  
Bofur reached for his flute and put it to his lips.  
I heard a merry, nice warble, a spring tune that dispelled my alerted thoughts and caused me smiling pleasantly.  
“Your melody is very buoyant. I like it!” I praised him.  
My strange friend’s face lit pleased smile and he put away his flute.  
“Bofur! Lad, at last! Where have you been?” a white-bearded old man was running to us. “We’ve lost you!” he puffed out once he leveled with us. And then he shifted his eyes at me. I watched curiously as his glance was getting stunned and he frowned more and more.  
“Very strange…” he uttered in conclusion. “Where did you get this elven guy, Bofur?” he looked strictly at his fellow.  
“Hey wait! I’m not any elven guy!” resented I feverishly. “I’m not elf at all! I’m a girl!”  
The old man stroked his long, white beard and scanned me over again.  
“Hmmm…a girl you are? Not a guy?” and gazed at my grey T-shirt with inscription “Amor Vincit Omnia” and “Amor meus amplior quam verba est”, naked legs in snickers and blue denim shorts with such wonder that I blushed a little.  
“Well…what’s wrong?” I felt ill at ease, when they both kept staring at me. “Think that’s very good clothes for travelling.”  
They both started laughing merrily for unclear reason and made me confused.  
“Excuse me?!?” I tilted my head aside and stared at their outfits. “I’m not saying you both look like junkmen!”  
My words sounded offensive and they stopped laughing.  
“We are the dwarves of Erebor. I’m Balin.” the old man with white beard said.  
“What??? Dwarves??? Erebor???” I bent my brows, asking the man again, hoping I misheard him.  
And then I saw other looking alike men hurrying to us.  
I screwed up my eyes and pinched myself being sure if I open them next moment I would breathe out in relief as I was just daydreaming. But then I heard this velvety, hoarse voice and had to open my eyes.  
The eyes of deep blue were piercing me suspiciously and I felt a bit out of it, wishing for the ground to swallow me up. I was so embarrassed I thought I would curl up and die right away.  
“What’s going on here?” he inquired sternly, coming closer to me and the company of so-called dwarves around me. It was a very handsome man with long, black, curly hair and very nice beard. I froze stunned like a dumb, gazing at him open-mouthed.  
“I’m Thorin Oakenshield. Who are you?” he asked and I felt as my knees buckled and the skies crushed down upon me.  
I didn’t memorize the last time I fainted away in my life, but I believe it was ages ago as I completely forgot the way it happens.  
The world’s sounds and colors rapidly shut down for me and I dipped into utter darkness.  
***  
Someone was tickling my cheek and I opened my eyes and saw these deep eyes of blue above me.  
“Ahhh…” I moaned and saw as this beautiful vision melted and was replaced with something long and white and I saw the old man again.  
“That’s me, Balin.” Said the voice above and added. “How are you?”  
I looked around trying to understand where I was and whether I was dreaming or not.  
The scene remained the same. There were thirteen strange people dressed queer, gazing over me.  
“Oh, my! I must been looking really terrible!” I thought, checking my tangled silver hair.  
“I’m all right!” answered I and joked. “Tell me that I’m completely out of my mind and I’m still in Middle-Earth.”  
Balin smiled amiable to me.  
“I won’t vouch for the first thing. But I confirm the second. You’re still in Middle-Earth, Teriana.”  
“Oh, boy!” I touched my forehead and closed my eyes for a moment. “I’m sleeping…sleeping, that’s just a dream.”  
“You’re not sleeping, I’m real!” uttered the voice and I opened my eyes again. I saw a small man with hairy feet and laughed hysterically.  
“Oh, you must be Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins!” I blurted out and got up. “I know who you are. I read a book about your adventures. I know where you are going! You are going to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim you homeland and to get Arken…”  
“Enough!” I heard his harsh voice and saw him approaching me. I hushed down when his strong, majestic figure rose above me. His beautiful blue sky eyes were drilling me severely.  
“I don’t know who you are and how you guessed our plans but I’m sure there is someone in our company who told you everything.” He gazed over Bofur.  
I straightened up and looked boldly into his eyes.  
“I know every little thing about you, Thorin Oakenshield! Thorin, son of Thráin, son of Thrór. I know where you came from, where you have been and where you are going as I’ve read a book about your quest.”  
I nodded to the dwarves around us. “I know every event that happened to you and what will befall you. I know for sure that all of you started your Quest of Erebor on April, 27th from Hobbiton, the Shire, where Bilbo’s house is. And… ”  
“He told you everything…” interfered Thorin and his eyes flashed unkindly.  
I took my backpack losing my patience and reached for one metal thing.  
“Look here!” I shook the key near his face. “I’ve got the same as yours! Don’t you understand that I got inside your story. The story that was written about you!”  
Thorin’s hands began fumbling his bosom quickly and reached for identical key.  
“How…” Feeling utterly stunned, he stared open-mouthed at the key in my hand and then at his own one. “Gandalf found the second key for you?”  
“Oh, come on! I bought it in a local shop!” I jumped up impatiently, realizing he doesn’t believe me. “Bofur couldn’t tell me all these things as I got acquainted with you all about an hour ago and the most of this time I was laid out on the ground staying unconscious. I could tell you anything if you asked me!” I smiled, gripping the last straw. “Ask me something!”  
But the dumbfounded dwarf continued watching me until Balin said his word.  
“Well, I believe we must make a little break as everyone is worn out and that’s about time for dinner.”  
My glance slid along the twilight road ahead and I noticed a broken bridge.  
“Yes. I think you should hurry with cooking and spy for trolls in shaw as soon you see them.” advised I and felt my stomach growling.  
Thorin and Balin gazed weirdly at me but said nothing.  
“Oin, Gloin, get a fire going!” ordered loudly Thorin and dwarf brothers proceeded with our dinner preparations.

Despite these two fellows were rather slow and very scrupulous in cooking, a hugely pleasant, teasing smell appeared in the air approximately in an hour.  
They’ve boiled some kind of broth, which I must say was pretty good.  
When the dinner was ready at last, everyone scattered in different directions and sorted into groups of two or three. The dwarves were waving their spoons like oars in a boat race, no one had to be asked twice. Bofur brought me a bowl with soup and sat down on the ground beside me. I was eating it with great pleasure because I managed to get hungry.  
In the meantime Thorin and Balin chose their place not far from us and seemed talking about me. The white-bearded dwarf was impressed with my words about them and future events which awaited them, and was making attempts to convince Thorin to take me with them. He had a strong presentiment that I will be worthy for them.  
But Thorin was obstinate and suspicious. Balin’s idea looked simply absurd and promised a world of trouble. He cast numerous mistrustful gazes over me from time to time.  
“I don’t like her! She looks very suspicious, talks really strange, dressed strange and all that.” the King of Durin’s Folk shared his opinion. “She must be a spy of elves or anyone else’s.”  
Balin gave him reproachful look.  
“I think we certainly should take her with us. It’ll be useful to have her around.”  
“No! It’s out of the question!” answered with a snarl Thorin. “Girls do not belong, out of place in our quest!”  
“She is a very precious companion.” Balin added.  
“I said NO! It’s too dangerous!” repeated roughly Thorin.  
“She knows about everything that awaits us and can advise us. She is very precious!”  
“I’m fed up over this Halfling already. I’m not gonna watch her all days and nights long!” snapped Thorin.  
Sitting not far from the fire I witnessed their nervous conversation for a while, and then got up and walked to them.  
“Your obstinacy is not your strong suit, Thorin Oakenshield. The same as you were described in this fairy-tale.”  
Thorin rose, squinted his eyes looking disdainfully at me, and replied in disgruntled voice.  
“I’m a real dwarf. I’m not any fairy-tale for sure!” and turned his back to me, leaving.  
I saw him off, sighing irritably. I still couldn’t believe where I got myself into.  
Watching other quietened down dwarves I shivered a little and cussed mentally. I took my backpack and nestled myself on the earth, afar from all these weird people.  
I reached for my phone and headphones and closed my eyes.  
Next two minutes I was relaxing listening to divine voice of Svrcina who was singing in my ears.  
Seems all my hallucinations wiped away but only till the very moment I opened my eyes.  
I saw Bofur making funny faces near me.  
“Are you deaf or what?” he asked me inquisitively when I took off my headphones. “I’m trying to speak to you, but you preferred not to notice me. So everyone thinks I’m gone crazy.”  
“I do not hear anything when I wear this thing on my head.” I explained him. “That is a good trick that helps me to forget about my problems just for a while.” I bent to him and put my headphones on his head. He twitched first, but then I touched his hand and turned on the music. It was Svrcina’s “Universe of Two”. Bofur’s tensed face stretched in a pleasant smile.  
“It’s awesomely pleasant!” he stated loudly, attracting everyone’s attention.  
“Don’t shout! I hear you very well!” I said.  
I saw him enjoying my music and smiled kindly to him. This dwarf turned to be a very nice guy.  
When the song was over I helped Bofur to take off my headphones and put them into my backpack.  
“Beautiful music and beautiful voice!” he mentioned. “Is that you who sing this song?”  
I smiled sadly. “No, of course not. That is magnificent Svrcina. I adore her. I wish I could sing the same way. I love all her profound, heartfelt songs.”  
His eyes were gazing at me curiously.  
“You are very strange but nice.” The dwarf smiled warmly. “Thanks for sticking up for me. I’m sure I can be useful for you.” Bofur said.  
I dropped my eyes and said. “Yeah, probably you will come in handy someday.”  
Just a bit later when the skies turned black, and cool evening air began sending chills down my spine, Bofur inquired whether I had something to put on because he noticed me shivering from cold.  
I shook my head because I remembered exactly that while travelling with my group it was sunny and warm and we were to return to our camp by the evening. The question whether anybody noticed my sudden disappearance after all arose so frequently in my head. I didn’t have any answer for obvious reason just because I turned to be here and my group stayed somewhere out there.  
I also paid attention that everyone seemed to notice that I was in shorts and I was naturally cold, everyone noticed but not Thorin. He didn’t look at my side at all or he made everyone believe he did not watch me.  
Anyway Bofur cared for me and put his warm jacket on my shoulders, and I got warm immediately.  
I thanked him politely and felt grateful that he came to my aid.  
“It’s my pleasure, Teriana.” He said and gifted me his soft smile.

...to be continued.


	2. Troll Shaws and first meeting with elves

 

As I “predicted it” Bilbo has noticed some light between the trees.

And so Thorin sent Bilbo ahead to find out more about it.

There were three gruesome trolls who toasted mutton as you must remember it from the book, and they started talking with our hobbit. Their conversation turned into a loud heated row and then into fight.

I managed to hide in the bushes the moment the dwarves appeared and the trolls began to catch them seizing them one by one.

I’ve never seen trolls in my life and though I was not scared I knew that there was nothing I could do the present moment. All I had to do was wait till the dawn. Till the time Gandalf comes.

A quick thought jingled in my mind. What he would probably say seeing me?

I was interrupted by jangling of a big black pot which trolls got somewhere wishing to boil the captured dwarves.

Although I felt excited a little because of this matter I knew that Gandalf is about to appear very soon and so I was trying to talk myself into to be patient.

But hours were flying unnoticed; trolls’ versions how to cook the dwarves seemed never end. I felt tiresome of this ruckus; I’ve got my limbs numb and I began to move between the branches. I was sure these horrid giants would notice me. It felt like Gandalf would never appear.

But the wizard came. He appeared with the first beams of a new dawn.

_“Dawn take you all, and be stone to you!” said a voice that sounded like William’s._

_But it wasn’t. For just at that moment the light came over the hill, and there was a mighty twitter in the branches. William never spoke for he stood turned to stone as he stooped; and Bert and Tom were stuck like rocks as they looked at him._

_And there they stand to this day, all alone, unless the birds perch on them; for trolls, as you probably know, must be underground before dawn, or they go back to the stuff of the mountains they are made of, and never move again. That is what had happened to Bert and Tom and William._

_“Excellent!” said Gandalf, as he stepped from behind a tree, and helped Bilbo to climb down out of a thorn bush. Then Bilbo understood. It was the wizard’s voice that had kept the trolls bickering and quarrelling, until the light came and made an end of them.”_

As soon as disgusting trolls became stones Bilbo and Gandalf rushed to untie sacks and helped the dwarves to get out. Those ones were annoyed and asked the hobbit all the time what’s being happening while they were inside the stuffy sacks. All they could hear is a noise of trolls who argued to how to cook them. A real mess started again and it was the same louder as trolls’.

So to distract them Gandalf offered to search about the surroundings and find trolls’ cave.

And it’s quite logical they ran into me when they went through the bushes.

I rose unexpectedly on their way and the old wizard started in surprise and stared at me.

“Who are you?” He questioned me and that moment everyone heard Bofur’s voice.

“That is a new fellow traveler in our company. Her name is Teriana and she is my friend.”

Everyone stared at the dwarf in hat and I should confess that I felt very pleased that moment because Bofur helped me twice and he also called me his friend.

“All right.” Gandalf shrugged his shoulders as if nothing happened, gave me a quick look once more and guided the dwarves to the trolls’ cave.

There were bones on the floor and a strong stench in the air inside the trolls’ lair.

Besides there was lots of other stuff: clothes of trolls’ victims, a good deal of food and pots with gold coins.

Among them were several swords and Gandalf with Thorin were fascinated with two of them because of their beautiful scabbards and jeweled hilts.

Each of them took one of swords and Bilbo chose a knife in a leather sheath.

Frankly speaking I did bethink of providing myself with some weapon after meeting with trolls. But the idea that I would have to apply this someday slowed me down. I’m not able to hurt any creature even if it is an ugly troll.   

_“These blades look very good,” mentioned Gandalf as soon as examined the swords. “They were not made by any troll, nor by any smith among men in these parts and days; but when we can read the runes on them, we shall know more about them.”_

Thorin nodded and ordered his dwarves to carry out the food and the barrel of ale outdoors.

Thus our breakfast was almost ready.

All of us were hungry and now we had bread and cheese, and plenty of ale, and bacon to toast in the embers of the fire.

Bofur flopped down in the grass next to me and gave me a slice of bacon with cheese and a mug with ale. There were few lumps of bread and not all of us could get them.

I was pleasantly stunned, and blushed a little thanking him.

“I abstain from alcohol.” I told Bofur and saw him smiling merrily.

“You are very strange and funny.” He answered. “All right, do as you like.”

I was eating cheese and watched other dwarves sitting in groups again. Oin and Gloin were talking beside fire. Not far from them Bifur stationed himself examining his clarinet.

Fili and Kili joked and laughed banging their wooden mugs.

A little left of them were sitting Ori, Nori and Dori who were just eating in silence. Bilbo was reading some pocket book of brown color.

Dwalin and Bombur were turned away from each other. The fat dwarf was tucking bacon and cheese into himself and the big fellow was polishing his sword.

And at last there were Thorin, Balin and Gandalf. Thorin perched himself on a wide stump like on his throne; and Balin with Gandalf occupied the fallen tree. Each of them was busy doing their own things.

For example, the wizard was pensively gazing over the hills and far away while Balin patiently waited for Thorin to end up his breakfast wishing to discuss something with him.

And Thorin himself was having his breakfast very slowly and enjoyed the taken wooden throne; it seemed like he was doing this on purpose and sometimes shot his distrustful glances at our side.

Bofur finished eating and wiped his hands on his pants.

“Hey, what are you doing?” exclaimed I and opened my backpack quickly reaching for wet wipes. I raised the flap and pulled one for him.

“What is it?” he was curious and sniffed it. “Mmm…smells good! Is it for eating?”

I giggled and took back the white cloth. I wiped my hands and said.

“That’s for cleaning hands and things. It’s very useful when you have no water nearby.”

I took out another wipe and gave it to Bofur.

The dwarf passed the wipe along his hands and felt amazed.

“That’s pretty good to feel. It feels like you wash your hands in the river.” He stressed approvingly.

His words have sounded like a magnet for dwarves and all of them, except Thorin of course, approached me feeling rather curious and asked for wipes.

I gave away twelve wipes to twelve dwarves and all this time scowled Thorin watched me feeling that I steal his dwarves’ attention which were of course very glad to get some unusual thing from me. (The wipes dried later and everyone worried about it, however the pleasant scent stayed and some of dwarves sniffed dried wipes from time to time arousing my smile).

When all of us were full I noticed that that a spirit of fun and frolic began wandering about inside the dwarvish company.

Ori started it all when he pulled out his flute and began playing some merry tune. Then Fili and Kili joined him with their harps and then the others got into playing music.

The music was such pleasing and lively that I began clapping my hands to its rhythm.

“Thorin, please sing our quest’s song!” Vying with each other, the dwarves clamored entreating their king.

Thorin glimpsed closely at them and reached for his pipe.

“All right.” he murmured.

Everyone resumed playing a familiar tune of misty mountains. And it sounded similar to the one from the movie, yet it was quite different. Thorin’s voice was simply divine. I couldn’t stop admiring it. I really didn’t want him to stop.

All the time he sang this song he felt very proud and looked through us.

When he ended, a deep pause ensued and only the rustling breath of the wind’s whisper stirring the grass was heard all over.

But then the situation became just as it’s been previously, that is informal.

The dwarves scattered into the shaws, I heard someone found berries.

I felt like a little drowsy and my vision’s blurry and that was due to satisfying meal.

Besides, the fresh summer air wore me out. Under the warm summer sun, imperceptibly for me I went off to sleep.

Well, I guess I was asleep for too long. Because when I opened my eyes I saw bright stars over me and Bofur’s face who wanted to put his blanket on me.

“Ah, Teriana! That’s the evening already and you has just awaken. Soon the time to sleep comes again. What will you do?”

His joyful voice elicited my smile and I sat down leaning on my backpack.

“I don’t know. May be I’ll go for a walk under the stars?” I joked, and heard a hoarse voice of Thorin right away.

“The walk is cancelled owing to bad weather and orcs that prowling around.”

I knitted my brows and gazed at clear sky.

“It’s cloudless and quiet.”

Thorin didn’t say anything in response. He walked to Oin and Gloin and ordered them to make fire.

I heard him doing it every time, and a little thought came to me suddenly. But it’s a different theme, I will tell you about it a bit later.

In the meantime I decided to listen to the music because very strict King of Durin’s Folk forbade us to move around.

Bofur walloped on the grass next to me and asked me to give him my phone.

I don’t know why but I suggested that we could listen to music together and turned it on without headphones. A truly delighting voice of Svrcina started singing.

_Deep in the forest under the fog_

_Armies surround us waiting for dark_

_Wearing their iron masks like shield_

_I know they're coming I know they're here_

_Oh that light, oh is bright_

_Sleep for today but tomorrow we fight_

_Ahhhhh, ahhhhh, ahhhhh,_

_Tomorrow we fight_

_Ahhhhh, ahhhhh, ahhhhh,_

_Tomorrow we fight_

All dwarves’ eyes fixed curiously on Bofur and me and they kept watching until Thorin came up to us again.

I paused the song and looked questionably at him.

“What’s wrong?” I inquired the dwarf a bit insolently.

“Nothing.” He shot out and added. “Decrease the volume.”

I plugged a headphones connector and put the headphones on trying to look imperturbably. 

“Thank you.” Muttered Thorin and departed.

Bofur tugged my sleeve and I removed my headphones.

“Shrug it off. He is not as fearsome as he seems. We all went through lots of suffering and deprivations but he had almost lost everything, his father, his kingdom, his people. And now he has an opportunity to get his kingdom back and revive it. That’s why I think he behaves so unbalanced now.”

I wanted to correct Bofur and tell him that I’m acquainted with Thorin’s character very well from the book and that he always was a pertinacious, a tough-spirited person but changed my mind. The reason of my non-interference was clear – I did not wish to gain the character of an ultimate parvenu.

So I just smiled softly at the dwarf and assured him.

“That’s all right. Don’t worry. I wasn’t offended.”

That night under the stars was very quiet and easy. No one disturbed us.

Next morning we hit the road again moving slowly to Rivendell as the wizard told us.

Gandalf has informed Thorin and the others of his plans the day before.

By the way, he never asked me anything about me. I found that really odd and I was curious all the time. And once when we made a little stop in a small spinney because of the heavy rain I approached him and asked him point-blank.

“I know that Bofur told you something of me and probably that I know of everything that awaits us. But you never asked me anything and never shared your view.”

I asked him that question hoping to hear something important for me. Like why I happened to be here in this quest among all these queer creatures called dwarves.

The wizard’s glance was kind and he paused his wise eyes on me.

“I would not say that I’m not interested in you, because I am. But I can only say that you are here for a reason and no one of us can tell now what your predestination, part in our story is.”

I suppressed my nervous giggle.

“I hoped you would reveal to me what awaits us, me…” and gave a sigh of annoyance.

Gandalf laughed at my words.

“You said you know of everything that is ahead. So why do you want to hear it from me if I’m the last who sees so far. ”

“I do know of you and not of me.” I explained patiently. “I don’t wish to be intrusive but may I ask if I certainly need to go with you. Or should I stay here.”

The old wizard cleared his throat and glanced at me benevolently.

“First, I must say that it’s quite imprudently and even unsafe for you to stay alone. Your own eyes watched the proofs not so long ago. Second, if your desire to leave us is still firm I would ask you to wait till we reach Rivendell. I could speak with Lord Elrond about you. He may know what to do. Well, at least I think that he is able to help. ”

I smiled warmly in response and felt easy a bit.

“Indeed, thank you for everything.”

The wizard’s fingers touched my shoulder and he said.

“Even the things we don’t know about and the things we never suspect happen without regard to us. I’m sure you turned up in our story not by chance. But let’s talk about it again when we meet old Elrond.”

Gandalf chuckled and made a smoke ring.

I joined his laughter and then he bent and whispered in my ear.

“Everything will be fine. Don’t worry.”         

I nodded and walked away from wizard and then turned back suddenly feeling someone’s intent glance. There was Thorin behind me who might have heard our conversation with Gandalf.

“I believe elves can help you, they do not abandon their own.”

I gave him a slow up-and-down look and muttered displeased.

“I’m not an elf by any means.”

“Tell it to your kith and kin when we arrive to Rivendell.” The dwarf seemed mocking at me.

I trotted away quickly from him, bellowing inwardly at his stubborn, derisive character.

Why he disliked me so intensely? I’ve done nothing to deserve such attitude. Well, perhaps only stole a bit of his dwarves’ attention entertaining them with my songs and other things while travelling.

We haven’t spoken to each other for two days but all this time Thorin closely watched me and Bofur.

I certainly should mention here that I rode a pony like the others did. But not exactly the same way.

Well, dwarves considered that it will be better if they will ride ponies with me in turns. I didn’t mind it at all and during the day I was somebody’s riding companion and changed the horse and the rider three times a day – in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening. For night dwarves still made halts and slept under the stars. Summer nights met us with warmth and sweet meadows with soft grass.

But let me tell you a bit of a riding process because at first it felt a kind of torture for me.

Dwarves placed me on a horseback before them. I loved to ride with Bofur and Balin especially. The last told me a lot of stories about dwarves and he turned to be very kind and wise. And though Balin asked me little, I knew he was curious but he kept from inquiring. His behavior proclaimed his good upbringing.

I must confess it was very uncomfortable to travel on pony especially sitting in front of the rider and across the animal. I was shaking mercilessly and soon I felt sick.

I checked my compass several times to be sure that we are following the right direction.

“We should go east.” I uttered once when Thorin’s pony leveled with Bofur’s one.

“I know we should go east.” said Thorin in irritation.

I didn’t pay attention to his disgruntled remark and stayed silent.

A couple of days passed ever since and the days became hotter and nights warmer. And no wonder, because it was close to midsummer.

I felt comfortable in shorts and t-shirt and watched the dwarves dressed in fur and warm clothes with sympathy.

On the way to Rivendell I listened to music and Bofur frequently asked me to give him my phone with headphones to listen to my music too. Thorin seemed to be on the guard watching us both suspiciously. But we continued joking and laughed and kept behind all, in the tail of our company.

Thorin snarled all the time on our way seeing us together. But when it came for his turn to ride with me he would only keep silence. I can honestly say that he had to bear with me. Because every time he put me ahead on the horseback he was getting even more serious than he was in fact. Well, I too kept gazing in sides all the time pretending I was interested in something. We had nothing to talk about and that’s why I was quiet either.

Erelong I noticed that there was something wrong with my phone.

Wherever we headed our ponies my compass’s needle pointed at Thorin’s side each time. I was sure it broke down and began pounding on it with my nail.

Thorin noticed me doing this and said.

“Stop it. It’s working. We’re moving in right direction.” He mentioned looking earnestly at me.

“It shows the different four winds every time. To say exactly it points at you the whole time.” I told him on my device.

The dwarf laughed heartily.

“That’s simple. Because I know where to go. Because I know the way.”

I couldn’t keep a straight face too.

That funny little scene diffused tension between us for a while.

We also did a kind of cheer with Bofur and always recited it when we wished to cheer up the others while travelling. The dwarves began to repeat the words of it after us.

It was rather simple but catching.

“Oin, Gloin, get a fire going!” Bofur and I started loudly. “Come here, lads and get the music flowing!”

“Bifur, play your clarinet!

There’s no time to feel upset.” Bofur’s cousin followed us.

“Hey there, Fili!

Hey there, Kili!

Grasp your harps, boys! Don’t be silly!” Caught up with us Thorin’s nephews.

“Flutes of whom will sing of glory? – Brothers’ Ori, Nori, Dori.”  shouted excitedly three aforementioned dwarves.

“Violins call for Balin and Dwalin,

Hey, you guys, keep our song squalling!” old Balin and big fellow Dwalin engaged in our song.

“Bombur, start to beat the drum!

Off with quietness! Don’t keep mum!” A fat red-haired dwarf yelled joyfully biting off his favorite carrot.

And then it was time for everyone to shout out loud the final part. (Thorin only listened to us and never took part, not sure of the reason for it).

“Play and dance till midnight rings

Now it’s time when Thorin sings.”

In the end Bofur and I always heard a merry laughter and of course couldn’t help ourselves joining it.

This nice song has ended and that meant that we needed to make a small halt for having lunch. These were truly pleasant moments when they were happening; the one who likes outdoor meals and get-togethers definitely gets me. It’s odd but I felt that I’m getting used to this nomadic way of life after several weeks spent on the road. We used water from streamlets to wash in the morning and stopped by them to cool down in the hot afternoons. Sometimes there were cold springs gushing out from the earth, and we made a stop, filling our flasks and bottles or simply drank it. So were passing our days and about nights I have already told you.

***

Although the weather improved the spirit of fun and frolic inside Thorin’s company started slowly fading away day by day.

Food in bags was decreasing and our spirits fell as well.

And that’s because no Rivendell heaved in sight.

Gandalf kept telling us stories of Imladris, the Last Homely House where Lord Elrond lived and where we were expected. But it felt like that with each next day he gave his audience an excuse for yawning only because the dwarves lost their interest and seems the hope to see this much talked-about place. However the circumstances worked well and in a couple of days a light at the end of the tunnel of hopelessness has dawned.

The road to the elven valley turned to be harsh and stony through streams and waterfalls; and our ponies began to stumble over the roots and stones soon.

Everyone was tired and was ready to lose his temper. The day was close to the end and twilight shadows were slowly creeping along the sunset skies.

Finally we got to the edge of the hill and heard Gandalf’s rejoiced exclamation.

“Here it is at last!”

When all ponies leveled with Gandalf’s horse we could see the whole valley that spread out in front of us.

Seeing at first Rivendell from the edge my mind drew me a vision of Venice. Though I’ve never been to that beautiful place and only saw pictures and watched TV programs I could say that it looked very similar, of course if the waterfalls are not taken into account.

And the lower we went down the hill the better we could hear these streams kind of babbling.

It looked like I was not the only one feeling dazed with the beauty of the elven valley. I watched the others being impressed so much and I can definitely say that even surly Thorin was taking curious looks at nature surroundings.

As soon as the dwarf saw stately handsome creatures that came up to meet us he cast a quick glimpse over me and muttered.

“I’ve told you she’s been elf!”

However this time his words sounded softer and not so accusing.

I breathed out tiredly.

“I suppose it’s useless to deny it again and again???” Wondered I. “Then it’d be better for me to admit it?!?”

Perhaps you’re waiting for me to tell you a lot of unusual things about elves and their so called “structure of society”. Well, everything I could say this wondrous world won our hearts with its natural splendors and charmed us with its legendary hospitality. And the rest you can easily find out in the book.

Yes, Lord Elrond threw a celebratory banquet in our honor on the balcony with terrific view at the river and the waterfalls; and so many sweet and tender songs were sung delighting the ear.

Besides, the golden strings of harps influenced very soothing and I even noticed that some of the dwarves were affected to tears.

And I was just like all the rest.

Thorin's company was received very warmly and at last all of us could relax and fetch their breath.

By the end of the cordial welcome we were walked to our guest rooms in the western side of the valley.

I don’t know about the others but that evening for me turned into sleeping time very quick. I could even state that as soon as I reached my bed I fell asleep right away.

When I opened my eyes next early morning I observed the timid sun beams going through the white curtains attempting to enter my room. Eyeing the things around me with curiosity I listened to my inner voice. This was the first time in our journey I felt at ease and could relax.

As far as I knew we were to spend here about two weeks. And it all felt like a new vacation in paradise that has just started.

“Ahhh! That sounds great!” thought me and made some pictures of beautiful scenery that was visible from my window.

This first day in Rivendell turned to be very busy. Lord Elrond gave us a tour of his House.

There were lovely gardens with gorgeous flowers that bloomed and exuded a sweet fragrance and whimsical trees bore fruit of unseen beauty.

There were also fountains whose gentle flow was balm enough to ease a ringing ear.

We met some elves on our way that were having very lively discussion and they both bowed respectfully to their Lord and his guests.

I watched them a little envying because the girl wore a rather ordinary but very fine dress of sand color with bouffant sleeves. Ah, such sleeves have always been my weak point, the thing I was passionate about!

To tell the truth, the elves took me for a boy first, like the dwarves did. That happened due to my ludicrous sight – t-shirt, shorts and snickers.

Hey guys, I couldn’t even think I’d be in Middle Earth one day! It was out of the blue sky.

When the theme was clear very soon, Lord Elrond hurried to introduce me to his daughter, Lady Arwen and delicately asked her to correct this troublous situation.

I was pleased to meet Lady Arwen, Lord Elrond’s daughter, a reigning beauty with a chiseled figure, long dark hair and ringing voice.

She was very happy to find me a fine dress, approximately the same I saw not so long ago.

We made friends with her very quickly forasmuch as we had a lot of common interests as it turned out.

Arwen showed me the elven library which amazed me with its sizes and quantity of books in different languages and then we returned to her room where we continued our conversation about different things. Certainly I didn’t reveal her that I wasn’t from here and knew much. Well, I simply didn’t wish to spoil everything. Still she guessed that I was unusual to a certain extent. I guess my clothes played not the last part in this story.

Next day we went to the Summer House and spent there a lot of time while Elrond's daughter taught me embroidery and read me her stunning poems. I was touched deeply by her talents and felt very lucky that I got to know her. It looked like the elven maiden was glad to communicate with me too.

Wishing to thank Arwen for her kindness I presented her a small bottle of my favorite perfume with roses that attracted her from the very beginning because of the bizarre bottle shape.

I don’t know what the others were doing all this time while we were together. Frankly speaking I forgot about the dwarves at all. I only remembered about them when I heard once that Fili and Kili made a little disturbance when they arranged a false scuffle in one of the fountains and I heard strict voice of Thorin not far. I think boys got an earful from their uncle. 

Later in the evening Arwen and I were walking along the eastern side of Rivendell and went down to the river. The bright silver moon was growing above our heads and looked hugely captivating.

It was a calm starry night and the only sound carried in the breeze was the water’s meandering.

Watching the elven maiden step into the river and whisper some mysterious words I froze on the spot feeling hugely curious.

Arwen put her hand in the water and picked up some object.

Then she came out to me and opened her palm.

There was a sparkling crystal of silver color that looked simply magnificent.

I was impressed and intrigued greatly, and then Elrond’s daughter uttered.

“This is Ithilivren, a moon crystal from Bruinen River, Teriana. And I would like you to take it as a token of our friendship. That is not just an ordinary crystal and it was charged with moonlight and it works as a protector.” Arwen put it on a lanyard and hung it around my neck, and I thanked her.

She didn’t reveal me the secret of the stone entirely. Instead she looked intently at me and said.

“I see the bright light in you that could shine even stronger than the light inside of this stone and it depends only on you because it is the light of your heart. But this will happen only if you trust it and let your heart decide.”

I nodded not getting exactly what she implied.

And she seemed to understand my thoughts.

“The time only can tell.” she said and smiled softly at me.

We parted very soon and went back to our rooms for night. But I couldn’t sleep because I was pondering on her mysterious words. But when I finally fell into slumber, I saw a very odd dream.

I saw myself lying on the meadow full of fragrant flowers watching the night welkin full of shimmering stars and dreaming of something. I noticed one of the stars fell and rushed towards the earth very rapidly and then I heard a hoarse voice nearby and gave a wince in surprise.

“Make a wish!”

I turned my head to the left and saw Thorin. How he happened to be here?

He smiled at me very warmly causing my confusion and emphasized.

“I did. And did you manage to do it?”

“What?” I inquired in bewildered tone.

“Make a wish.” he reiterated and then looked up into the sky.

“Here’s another one. Hurry up!”

I watched his cheering glance and saw a falling star.

I felt slightly lost and gazing back at him answered.

“Oh, I wasn’t able to do this again. It was too quick for me.”

The dwarf gifted me his compassionate smile and reprimanded me softly.

“Come on, what came over you? Why don’t you have another try? I believe you will be lucky next time.”

I was going to tell him that I do not believe in luck and that moment Thorin’s arms gripped mine and he raised me from the grass inducing me to raise my head.

“Look, there is the one that is definitely for you. Don’t let it fall in vain, make it compass its purpose and materialize your wish. Just trust it and let your heart decide.”

I froze in his hands all of a sudden once I heard Arwen’s words and gawked at him weirdly.

His eyes were shining so magically and so captivating that soon I felt carried away immediately by this breathtaking vision. I can’t say how long I was in this hanging state.

But then his sudden question yanked me out of my dreams.

“Will I guess right if I say that this time you failed to do it again?” Thorin seemed to laugh at my sheepish expression.

“What?” I shook my head returning to reality.

“Yes. That’s it.” He said and his arm attracted me closer to him. As it was so unexpected I felt bemused greatly by such gesture of his.

But Thorin looked far too determined.

“Let’s learn how to watch falling stars, my dear Teriana.” He stressed in a preaching tone of voice and pointed his finger at the starry skies. “You just look up there very, very attentively and when you see one of these shining things starts its torrent flight you too start racking your brains and imagine what dreams you want to make true. Did you get it?” He asked looking strictly and inquisitively at me but then softened and whispered. “I really want your wish to come true and your dream became alive.”

I felt that pleasant, enchanting warmth of his body and felt his heart beating and wanted to tell him that my dream already came true and I don’t need anything else as I already had all I ever wanted.

But Thorin wasn’t Thorin if not his stubborn character.

“You know what I wished now?” he wondered fondling my arm gently.

I put my head on his shoulder and turned my curious eyes to him.

“What?” I addressed him my question, displaying my sincerest interest.

“I wished that tonight hundreds of stars would fall from the skies and then you could certainly make a wish.”

I raised my head and chuckled.

“What have you done??? You madman!!! I simply don’t have so many desires to wish them to come true! You are to take back your foolish wish next time the star falls!”

I gave Thorin a little shove and he fell with me backwards.

I lay on his chest and gazed mesmerized into his ever beautiful eyes.

“I won’t.” he said smiling adorably at me. “That is impossible. The star fall has just started. Look!” He drew my attention to the skies that were illuminated with lots of ultra bright flashes flying down and leaving silver traces behind them.

That looked an awful lot like a firework and I stared at this fascinating phenomenon absolutely taken aback with all this wonder.

“Come here,” called me Thorin suddenly and I turned my face to him. “That’s time to make wishes.” he whispered and his lips gifted me such a sweet and tender kiss that I forgot about everything.

I woke up from a sudden thunder and at first couldn’t grasp the place I’ve been the current moment. I was still in my dream and only when I noticed the flying and fluttering curtains on the wind I did understand that I dreamt it all.

I rose from my bed and got to the window. It was windy and was raining hard outside. No moon, no stars, only black clouds and lots of water gushing from the skies. What wishes? Well, a kind of stupid dream I had.

I returned into my bed and turned away from the window. The thunderstorm was still very strong.

I looked at the shining crystal on the lanyard and took it in my hand.

“Your light could shine even stronger...it depends only on you...it is the light of your heart...” I heard the words of Arwen in my head.

“What did she actually mean? And what is this crystal for?” I thought. Of course no one answered to me, only thunder has rumbled formidably behind.

Erelong I fell asleep again and opened my eyes only in the morning when the sun was shining high in the skies.

I spent that day like following other days with Elrond’s daughter. We had plenty of time for various amusing occupations and never allowed ourselves to get bored.

A week in elven paradise flied unnoticed and then another one followed; the dwarves who felt quite relaxed started to bother about their mission and decided to set on journey.

On the eve of our departure Gandalf suddenly remembered about Thrór’s map and also showed their swords to Lord Elrond. That one told them an interesting story about their owners and that they both had been forged in Gondolin many centuries ago.

_“They are old swords, very old swords of the High Elves of the West, my kin. They were made in Gondolin for the Goblin-wars. They must have come from a dragon’s  hoard  or  goblin  plunder,  for  dragons  and  goblins  destroyed  that  city many ages  ago.  This, Thorin, the runes name Orcrist, the Goblin-cleaver in the ancient tongue of Gondolin; it was a famous blade. This, Gandalf, was Glamdring, Foehammer that the king of Gondolin once wore. Keep them well!”_

Thorin felt proud of his blade’s glorious history and so he promised to treasure his sword.

Then Elrond revealed them the secret of the moon runes that were hidden and later mentioned about Durin’s Day; and Thorin with Gandalf got a little confounded because they hadn’t pay so much attention to the map like Elrond did.

I watched Thorin squeezing his key on the lanyard while the elven lord was talking.

From time to time he cast his strange insistent glances over my key around neck as if I was his rival. That was really annoying me and I felt antsy. So when lord Elrond ended his speech I marched up to Thorin and shoved my key in his hand.

“Here! Take it! I’m afraid it won’t fit any door because it’s a phoney imitation. And I only do this so you would not feel obsessed with your thoughts.”

He frowned and stared at me not understanding a single word from my expressive speech.

“I’m not obsessed.” he responded quietly. “I’d like to have a word with you but a bit later.”

I showed him my embarrassed expression.

“In your room in two hours.” He murmured.

I shrugged my shoulders and uttered.

“All right. As you say.”

Thorin saw me off with alarmed gaze.

Once I happened to be back in my room I started wondering why he wanted to talk to me. Somehow I thought that he could ask me to stay in Rivendell because it was damn pleasant to be here and it was safe. In this case I could have said no to him no matter harder he would try to persuade me to do it.

And if the reason was just different?

I dipped in my thoughts. Last time we had conversation about two weeks ago, right when we have just come here. I saw Thorin and other dwarves very rarely because I permanently was by Arwen.

So I simply quit guessing the things the dwarf wanted to talk with me about. And that’s why I abandoned this useless guessing game.

While elves were entertaining dwarves with so called “parting party” I was in my room listening to the songs and expected Thorin to come. Two hours passed quickly but he didn’t come. I waited ten minutes more and ten minutes after it but no one appeared in my room. Room’s measuring and window’s peering-outs helped me no how, the dwarf wasn’t even seen on the horizon.

When the third hour was over I had to say goodbye to our meeting with Thorin and then left my room going outside.

I was eager to go to the water and see celebration of the Elven Midsummer but some unpleasant prickly sensation that I can encounter Thorin there seethed me, and so I decided to sacrifice the pleasure of entertainment for the final parting relaxation.

While walking through the gardens of Imladris I thought about Thorin’s strange behavior and cogitated why he deceived me and made me wait for him but never came.

Perhaps the dwarf was occupied with elven feast and enjoyed his life. Yes, I felt awesomely annoyed with him. That was not really nice of Thorin to do such things at all.

I gave a resentful sigh and uttered.

“But don’t worry, Your Majesty, I’m not going to chase you. I’m not the one from the army of your crazy fans, not the one of your admirers all the more.”

Having spoken these words I felt all the things became easier for me right away.

I will definitely have my own fun and I don’t need anyone for this.

Under the full moon in crystal waters of Bruinen River, far in its northern sleeve, near the Gardens I bathed enjoying these extremely wonderful sensations of gentle water touches.

I’ve been dreaming about having a bath for a long time being. “Luck like that doesn’t just happen.” I thought, washing my body in the river and diving into it.

I took a little swim relaxing in cool water and rose. It streamed down my body in thin sinuous rills. Full of admiration, bated my breath I watched the glistening with silver moonlight road that ran forward. And my amulet Ithilivren crystal was shining with magical light inside.

Something rustled in the bushes behind me. Somebody was watching me.

I heard this sound and decided to banter a little and sent a splash of water behind my back. The person jumped back in surprise and I saw something out of the corner of my eye. Some dark shadow that quickly escaped its shelter.

For an instant I thought that it was Thorin. Or I simply wanted it to be him.

I shrugged it off and went out on the shore; my wet hair was tickling my waist pleasantly.

My new linen dress which Rivendell elves kindly gifted me was on the grass the place I left it.

I put it on and braided my hair. The sweetness of fragrant meadow flowers hung in the summer air and I felt refreshed and rejoiced. Ah, Rivendell by night is simply wonderful!

Walking slowly back to my room I adored the beauty of shimmering stars in dark blue welkin and was thinking about my home.

I knew that we will leave this hospitable place tomorrow and beyond any doubt all of us will miss it so much.

Being in good spirits I approached my room unnoticeably.

Who do you think I met right before my threshold?

Never guess it!

There was Thorin before my room.

He stood there as if waiting for someone and looked at me weirdly.

“Is it raining outside?” he wondered suddenly.

“Why?” I asked being a little discouraged.

“Your hair is wet.” He mentioned.

Only now I noticed that his shirt was wet a little too. And it looked like hundreds drops of water damped it. I understood that spatter like that only gets on someone one way.

“And why your shirt is wet?” inquired I trying to sound as calm as I could.

Not a single muscle winced on Thorin’s face while he was looking directly into my eyes.

“I was washing my face and got it slightly wet.” he explained.

“So it was you!” the words were about to slip from my tongue.

But the only thing I uttered was only two words.

“I see.”

“It’s late. So good night.” said Thorin all of a sudden and left me.

I saw him off with a weird glance pondering if the door of my room can be locked.

Fortunately this single night passed quietly. No one bothered me. My dreams were sweet and wonderful.

The next morning was very fresh but a bit sad. Everyone was ready to set feet on the path and almost all the inhabitants of Rivendell gathered near the entrance of the valley to wave a farewell to us.

I must repeat that the elves of Imladris turned to be very kind and well-willed and they provided us with food and water and gifted us new garments and small souvenirs made by their own hands as parting presents.

The Misty Mountains cold lay ahead and Wilderland awaited us beyond them. That could only imply that our adventures were just but begun.


	3. Over Hill and Under Hill. Through the darkness of Misty Mountains cold.

As you might remember from the same name book the company of Thorin Oakenshield headed to scale the loftiest heights of the Misty Mountains. And this turned to be the hardest trial for them. Of course after two idle weeks spent in paradise it was not so easy at all. Besides, the weather up there was simply disgusting when it started raining heavily. The one who once happened to feel the rain in the mountains certainly knows that stones become slippery and make your moving difficult and even dangerous. These mountains weren’t an exception. All of us became soaking wet very soon and began stumbling on the sharp stones. Not to mention our ponies those were tired too and trudged lazily nearby.

Thorin looked back and around hurrying everyone and watched that no one get lost. I cussed and cussed all the time that I didn’t change my beautiful dress from Arwen that now was torn in several places and its hemline hung in tatters. My spirits lowered beyond any known scale as I was sopped in the rain and got cold and looked like a wet chicken.

Following the dwarves forward I’ve totally forgotten that soon all these troubles would come to the end. And they ended right the moment Fili and Kili gave a loud cry that they found some cave. Thorin was cautious as he knew one couldn't trust caves in the mountains and that it could be dangerous to stay there.

I did know he was right but I simply didn't know what to do. I felt awful because of my dreadful appearance. But what was I supposed to do? I couldn’t hide anywhere to change my watery garments.

After a while it all got better and everyone was gladdened to find oneself in dry, warm place and fetch his breath.

But I still had scruples about changing my wet spoiled dress as all the dwarves have already put their dry clothes on. And since Gandalf didn’t allow us to make a fire I shivered with cold sitting in the corner.

Bofur came to my aid again and put his jacket on me.

“Thank you.” had chattered my teeth and I smiled timidly.

Bofur winked at me and reached for his sack.

“I’d like to play clarinet for you but I think Thorin will mind it.” He whispered.

I cast my quick glance at Thorin who was our diagonal neighbor. He was looking for something in his backpack.

“That’s fine. You can play a bit later for me.” I assured the dwarf.

Bofur nodded and nestled nearby.

“That’s great we could find some shelter to take refuge from a storm.” He said. “We can spend a restful night here.”

I doubted his words about “restful night” because I felt like a jigger guy the present moment. I knew that something would certainly happen tonight but kept quiet understanding I mustn’t influence the process. But I wish I could.

So that nasty thing occurred right before the dawn as you know when everyone was fast asleep.

The ground has cracked and our ponies with sacks and other stuff fell into it. And then big ugly goblins jumped out of hole, lots of them, and they attacked sleeping ones dragging them under the ground. That was a very frightful thing to watch at and my first desire was to rush forward to dwarves.

But then proper caution prevailed over me and I hid behind one of the rocks.

When the danger has passed I peeped out but there was no one except me in the cave.

A real terror seized me when I understood that I stayed alone and may never see any of dwarves. As you remember the dwarves turned to be on the other side of the mountains when they escaped goblins.

But how could I guess at that moment whether they had escaped the Goblin-town already or they hadn't yet?

I was troubled a lot and a desire to go after them grew inside with each second. I knew that I could get lost there below. Get lost on forever.

But I needed to appear somehow on the other side of the mountains.

I looked around feeling like panic stretches its sticky hands to my throat and suddenly saw a narrow gap between two rocks.

“What if I would try it?”

“No!” My mind was refusing to do it and I was trying to talk myself into.

I came closer to this gap and found out that it was a bit wider than I thought and I could easily get through it. I breathed out and cautiously walked into it. There was a dark passage between the rocks. I reached for my phone and switched the flashlight on but then switched it off as I was afraid somebody could see this light. Thus I had to move onward and seek my way with my hands. I really can’t tell how long I spent in utter darkness making my way forth and sometimes to the left and sometimes to the right. But I was moving without stops. But the hole became narrower very soon and one moment I even thought that I will stick in here and stay on forever. And then someday somebody will find my bones like bones of dinosaurs. I stopped breathing for a moment and pulled in my stomach trying to get through the narrow gap. It was too hard and the sharp rocks were scratching and hurting my skin. I heard my dress started to fall apart at the seams.

“Gosh, Teriana!” I talked to myself. “Just think what could happen to Thorin and his dwarves! They are in danger and that is even worse! And you had only stuck in here and keep complaining to invisibility. Come on Teriana! Stop going all blubbery and just push a little more!”

I gripped Arwen’s crystal and mentally asked it to help me. I didn’t know how it worked but I did wish it to come to my aid. I pulled myself abruptly onwards and heard a loud cracking of tearing fabric.

“Farewell, my dear elven dress!” A quick thought flashed in my mind.

“My goodness!” Another thought appeared. “I will go out mother-naked! Somebody will certainly see me this way.” But then I remembered that I had underwear on me and calmed down. This thing made me chuckle at myself a little. Oh, what kind of thoughts can emerge in the face of danger…God only knows.

Ah, I’ve got through it at last and looked around feeling elated.

Yes, I did it! There was a light ahead. I was on the other side at last. I put my backpack on the ground and began to remove the remnants of ruined dress with pity.

Having opened my backpack I took out my second t-shirt and put it on with my denim shorts.

Now I felt much better. I hoped dwarves safely ran away from goblins. That mean we could meet very soon.

I have already got to the edge of the rock when some invisible thing shoved me in the back and I nearly fell down. I managed to grasp the ledge at the last moment and my feet felt the stone step.

If none of you guessed what or exactly who it was I can reveal it to you. Of course that was Bilbo who had fled from Gollum and rushed like possessed to the exit.

But well, forget it. Now let me tell you what’s happened after it.

I waited for a while and then began my descending. And it wasn't one of the easiest roads as the stones on my way were of various sizes and I stumbled on them again and again, and then sat down on one of the boulders for a little repose.

“Well, if the hobbit has already run away from Gollum and legged it headlong to the dwarves, he must be looking for them now.” thought I and decided to hurry myself.

A minute later I was running down leaping over the stones like a mad rabbit. For an instant it seemed to me a quite dangerous idea because I could easily collapse and break anything. I wondered inwardly if the dwarves found me missing and would they wait or start to search for me.

Of course there was no one to reply to me and that is why I had to run down the hill with double speed.

The road became easier soon but I still kept jumping over the small bushes because of momentum or may be just because I took to it already.

With cheerful hurrah cry I reached the foot of the mountain and tried to regain my breath and along with it started casting glances all around looking for dwarves.

All of them were not too far from me as it appeared. I could discern their silhouettes in one of the small ravines.

What do you think they were busy with?

Right! They were consumed by wrangle with Gandalf about Bilbo who got lost somewhere on the way. The wizard refused to continue their travelling without him.

I strained my ears trying to understand if they cared about the hobbit only.

“Hey guys, and what about me? Did you notice that I’m missing too?

Or I’m not so important for you?”

But then I heard somebody saying that last time Bilbo was around me and they finally started speaking about me.

Thorin muttered that he had enough problems with Bilbo and now she had disappeared as well.

I heard him calling me “SHE” very annoyed.

And that thing tensed me a bit.

“Will you be glad if I appear right now out of the blue?” Asked him I mentally.

“Oh, no that should be Bilbo who appears out of the blue because he is invisible.” I remembered.

I meditated watching the dwarves and the wizard from afar. Should I go to them now and continue our journey with them. Or would it be better for me to stay here? And what will happen if I do so?

Meanwhile the hobbit has been found finally and the dwarves were gladdened by it.

I noticed them clapping him on his shoulder and saying warm words to him.

Even Thorin rewarded him with a soft smile.

I snorted caustically.        

“Now they will hit the road.” Thought I, feeling inexplicable sadness inside.

But they remained where they were.

“We must seek for Teriana.” Bofur declared. “I won’t go anywhere without her!”

“Here we go again!” loudly sighed Thorin and folded his arms frowning displeased.

But Bofur’s caring words made me feel important. I liked to feel needed.

And also I thought that my personal particular dislike to Thorin shouldn’t influence and spoil anything, and stepped forward.

“There is no need to seek for me. I’m here.”

You should have seen their astonished faces.

My sudden appearance elicited Thorin’s grumble.

I could not hear distinctly his words. And so I preferred not to pay attention to it.

Bofur simply couldn’t help himself and rushed to hug me.

I was happy to see him again either and thanked him.

He understood everything and smiled kindly at me.

“I’m glad to see you safe and sound again,” he uttered squeezing my fingers. “But what happened to your beautiful dress?” he frowned examining my new t-shirt. “I’m not a princess,” he read and winked at me suddenly. “That’s something new. And who are you then?”

I chuckled at his curious question and answered the first thing I thought of.

“I can’t say now. I haven’t solved this riddle yet.”

Bilbo gazed weirdly at me once he heard the word riddle.

I pretended that I know nothing.

“I believe it’s time to go forward.” Gandalf interfered drawing our attention to darkening skies. “The way ahead is not so easy.”

Dear me! How right he was saying this.


	4. Out of the Frying-Pan. What a glorious mess!

All right, Bilbo had found the One Ring in Goblin caves. I’m sure Gandalf had a certain surmises. I wonder would he tell the others about his finding or not?  
The Halfling was quite smart notwithstanding he projected himself into a character of a simpleton.   
However everything was still ahead and he would play his important part in Thorin’s quest.   
But not let us ride before the hounds.  
By the way about the hounds, when we moved forward to the trees some very strange unpleasant pin sensation has visited me. This valley seemed too familiar to me. I was sure that I’ve seen it somewhere before. And this feeling stayed with me until the moment the intruders appeared.  
Yes, there were orcs on wargs and who else do you think?  
I thought that I got blind and started blinking.  
But no way! The scene stayed the same and I’ve seen Bolg riding a white warg.   
For a moment I had a thought that I’ve seen this scene already.   
Exactly seen not read about it. I was watching everyone scampered about and climbed the trees, and I climbed one of the pines too.  
And when the wild wargs began jumping biting off the branches and causing the trees fall one by one; and when they forced the dwarves leaping on the branches of the next tree; and when these ones hushed on the last pine that tipped and hung over the precipice; and when the dwarves started to throw burning cones towards the enemies; and finally when Thorin rose ready to challenge Bolg (how stupid it all looked!) I understood that it’s not an evil prank and this is a dangerous time.   
“Seen! Seen!” It echoed in my head.  
I’ve remembered it at last! I have seen this scene on the screen. And for a reason or not, the movie somehow influenced this chapter of the book.  
Or how else to explain it that the narrative in the book was mixed with the events from the film? Yes, such an unexpected plot twists.  
I wanted to stop, well, to warn Thorin but he listened to no one and forwarded himself blindly to his defeat. Azog’s son needed only several minutes to knock the dwarf out.  
I shrank into myself with horror once I’ve seen this horrible blow to the jaw. And then this beast’s sinking his sharp teeth into Thorin’s flesh.  
As I mentioned already the fight was too short.  
Five minutes only - and Thorin lies on the stone where Bolg’s warg threw him.  
There was neither Bolg nor Azog in the book.   
Still it’s been happening now against everything. Thorin lay helpless on the ground close to faint, just right before his enemies, and it demanded urgent preventive measures. I don’t know what came over me next moment.  
“And what else was I supposed to do?” I knew that somebody must help the wounded dwarf. Not sure who would become that crazy hero I rushed headlong to him without thinking, waving my heavy backpack.  
I really had no idea how to shield Thorin from orcs.   
I had no weapons but I did feel my hackles rising and I was ready “to tear into pieces anyone with my bare hands.”  
And so I gave an angry cry.  
“Anyone who dares to touch or do any harm to him will deal with me!”   
Ugly beasts started chortling with laughter if it could be called laughter.  
I fumbled desperately in my backpack and took out a face powder and a nail file. Oh, what an unenviable fate, I should say.  
Putting the both things before me I shouted loudly.  
“Get back!”  
“What the hell is she doing?” irritated Thorin thought trying to take a grip of his sword nearby, and then passed out immediately.  
Damned ugly creatures were approaching me slowly.  
I waited a little and when one of them was close enough, blew the powder into his eyes.  
He cried repulsively and twirled throwing his hands in the air. He lost his vision for a while and couldn’t take his bearings.  
Other orcs weren’t afraid of me and when they approached I managed to send another one flying to the ground swinging my backpack to the sides.  
I thought to use Thorin’s sword, but as it was too heavy for me so I had to fight with a thick stick I’ve found nearby.  
For my trouble I was thrown away next moment with a heavy blow on the shoulder and collapsed in front of Thorin.   
“What an excellent prospect to die in a fairy-tale.” It flashed in my mind and my consciousness faded away.  
I didn’t see how dwarves came to the aid of me, attacking orcs on wargs with battle cries.   
At that moment Thorin and I lay unconscious side by side.  
I regained my consciousness from the wind that was cooling my body.  
The wind which was created by the beating of the wings.  
And that means that giant Eagles arrived to save us.  
Well, if you saw Boeing...Oh, what am I saying?  
Even then Manwe’s eagle is greater than any Boeing.   
So it was happening just like in the movie.  
The big birds pounced on orcs and wargs throwing them off the rock and extinguishing the terrible fire with beating of their wings, the fire that entirely encircled the dells.   
Along with it as the tree began to fall they saved several dwarves and Bilbo.  
I looked back at motionless Thorin and that moment the giant eagle’s claws grasped his unconscious body and the bird soared into the skies.  
I felt alarmed because I remained the last person on a glade seized with fire and some orcs.  
Perhaps the eagles didn’t see me? Or maybe I’m to die here because of fire? I had no intention to panic but as the temperature started to rise and the hot flames were creeping to me closer and closer I felt forsaken. Right the moment I fell into despondency the bird caught me in its claws and soared up.  
Gosh! I should mention that even though I’m not afraid of height I felt my breath stopped in my throat immediately, and my ears turned to be plugged up because of the abrupt pressure drop.  
Harsh wind was lashing my cheeks and arms, and my hair streamed in the wind like a flag. I made attempt to see the others but they were far from me.  
Only flying up to the big protruding rock called Carrock I observed how the eagles were landing one by one for the dwarves to come down. I saw how carefully one of the eagles put Thorin’s body on the stone surface and how quickly Gandalf hurried to him.  
And though I knew that he is all right I worried about him not less.  
As soon as Thorin was brought to life he upped using the help of his dwarves and growled annoyed.  
“Where’s she?”  
But seen me standing at a distance and being certain I was all right, he gifted me his glance full of anxiety mixed with annoyance.


	5. Beorn’s place

From the moment Thorin regained his consciousness on Carrock owing to Gandalf's spells till the moment all his company reached Beorn’s terrain he never spoke to me. I believe he was angry with my dashing behavior. At least I never waited his gratitude because I was doing it just because my heart guided me.

Beorn, a skin-changer turned to be a very hospitable host like our dear J.R.R. Tolkien described him. He felt suspicious first but then talking to Gandalf agreed to help us.

The dwarves together with Bilbo scattered in Beorn’s garden every which way, and I stayed alone. And that was good because I still felt wrought up after meeting with ugly beasts and even eagles flight did not improve the situation. So I went to rest in the hammock in the garden under the oaks and had rocked myself to sleep.

Later at night when everyone was already asleep I went outside and stood on veranda admiring the growing moon.

I closed my eyes and buried in my thoughts. It’s been almost two months already ever since I set out on a journey with the dwarves. Two months on the road for me and three months for dwarves. I almost put up with the thought that I should stay here for as long as it needs and I kept asking myself so many times why I happened to be here. What was the reason I was sent here? I missed my home a lot, missed everything I knew and my friends. Travelling across so called imaginary Middle Earth appeared to be not so easy though I didn’t need anything so much.

I sat down on the wide railing and pressed my forehead to the wooden column.

“Can I ask you to promise me never do this again?” I heard a hoarse voice behind me.

It made me open my eyes.

I saw the Dwarf King, sorry, still not the Dwarf King but Thorin.

He was gazing strictly at me.

I kept silent.

He came up closer and looked at crescent moon above us.

“The same moon when we were leaving our homeland.” He uttered suddenly. “It caught us on our way…”

I heard some sadness in his story and supported him.

“I do miss my home.”

His interested eyes paused on me.

“Is it far from here?” he inquired politely.

In fact I didn’t know what to tell Thorin that is why I said the truth.

“I don’t know where it is. But I miss it so much.” 

By uttering these words I felt as memories gushed like a wild river into my mind and I couldn’t help crying.

“Sorry!” I sniffled and turned away from Thorin trying not to look at him.

I gave a start of surprise once I felt his hand touched mine.

“You are brave but too reckless.” He told me and then softly pulled me to him and gave a warm soothing hug.

I felt as if electricity ran through me because of this nearness, Thorin’s hands pleasantly stroked my back comforting me so well.

“Thank you for saving my life. But please never do such things again as it’s too dangerous.” The dwarf whispered.

I did want to ask him why? Why does this thing bother you so much? Why do you worry about me? But I couldn’t do this. To tell the truth I didn’t have courage to ask Thorin such questions.

“I wanna go home. Please let me go...” I could only plead with him.

“I’m not holding you.” answered hoarsely Thorin and kept holding me tenderly in his embrace.

It was so warm and safe in his cuddle that it seemed to me that I fell asleep.

Supposedly he was saying to me something else but I wasn’t able to hear it as I was in a state of mortal fatigue.

I don’t remember what happened then. The only thing I memorized was soft silver glowing that was there betwixt us and I definitely knew it was Ithilivren.

And then I saw myself walking in the street in my town, with my dog, smiling at the music that was playing in my headphones, Svrcina’s song “Two Hearts One dream” singing along to it, and everything seemed so peaceful.

I returned to my place, the place I used to know. I dreamed that I was at home.

My home was empty and for some reason I fumbled about the shelf seeking for the book of J.R.R. Tolkien “The Hobbit. There and back.”

It was here as before and I looked it through searching for my name.

Of course there was not a single mention of any Teriana in any chapter.

I wiped my forehead and breathed out easily.

“Phew! I knew it’s only a dream. There is no any Middle Earth, no any elves, no hobbits, no dwarves. There is no Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Ori, Nori, Dori, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Balin, Dwalin, Thorin!”

“I’m here!” I heard a hoarse voice just far too real and suddenly opened my eyes.

There was a nicely smiling very handsome man Thorin by name beside me. He held a big white mug.

I seemed to jump up on my couch pretty quickly and cast fearful glances over the room.   

“Something amiss?” his voice was concerned.

“It seemed to me I was dreaming about Middle Earth and the Quest of Erebor.” I said feeling as my voice quivers and stared crazily at the dwarf.

“I think it’s absolutely impossible to do it with open eyes. Moreover, you see me and I’m sure you could feel my touch.”

As a proof his hand touched mine and I startled a little having recollected the warmth of his embrace.

“Last night…” I got confused a little. “Tell you the truth, that night was all a bit of a blur.” I narrowed my eyes gazing awkwardly at the dwarf.

“You were too tired and passed out in my arms.” Thorin commented. “I carried you here.”

He stretched me his mug suddenly.

“By the way, it’s your milk. Everyone had his breakfast already.”

I received my milk and then stared at him again.

“Thorin?” I called the dwarf once he was going to leave.

“Yes.” He replied watching my bemused gaze.

“Prove me that you are real.”

I think I shouldn’t have asked such things or better think before doing it.

Because next moment he came up to me and wrapped me in his arms. I was pleasantly stunned.

“If you feel this that means I’m real. It’s simple.” He whispered in my ear.

Oh, what I’d give to last it forever even if it was just a dream. But he parted with me very soon.

“I believe.” I confessed giving up.

“Good. Then drink your milk and pack your belongings. We are leaving.”  

The dwarf departed and I noticed my crystal’s bright shining again. Or did it only seem to me?


	6. Spiders in Mirkwood. Second meeting with elves. These are wrong elves! (Definitely one of them)

To tell the truth I don’t want to describe the way to Mirkwood from Beorn’s place because it wasn’t so interesting.

I wouldn’t tell you either about the gloomy perished forest and wandering around it for several days because it felt like real evil spells.

I think it will be better to tell you about gruesome creatures those dwelled in this enchanted forest and the place we found ourselves in a bit later.

There was a great chaos when the spiders appeared and I regretted so many times that Bilbo had only one ring.

Fleeing the giant monsters in dismay, I’ve been followed by obsessive fervent thoughts what will be next. Because the events in the book and the film had already mixed previously, and soon either wood elves with Legolas and Tauriel were supposed to appear or it was supposed to happen like it was in the book.

But time flew by and ugly monsters continued their attacks aiming to bite us and elves weren’t on the horizon and on top of all this, I’ve lost the sight of Thorin which I was going after.

I climbed the tree and hid in the thick oaken foliage.

Thorin was there below; the wood-elves caught him and tied when he fell as stone enchanted and then carried him away. That meant that everything developed according to the book. I understood that I’m to make haste and go after them to the Elven King’s palace because Bilbo and the others will be there only next day.

So when the wood-elves were at safe distance I got down and followed them secretly.

But soon ahead of me emerged almost unsolvable problem. As it turned out it was not so easy to penetrate into elven cave because the guards at the front gate watched every slightest movement around them thoroughly. Hiding behind the tree I kept my eyes on elves and being dead sure there were spare entries but they were well disguised from intruders and that implied I would never find them.

I had a fit of the mopes not understanding how to act in such case but it turned out that it was simply unnecessary.

In two hours approximately and under certain circumstances I could get inside the elven dwelling.

I heard maidens’ voices and then saw them. They were laundry girls or ones of them because they carried basins with linen. Chestnut-haired, braided elven girls were walking along the uphill road and sang some merry songs.

When they leveled with me they stared weirdly scanning me with amazed gazes. They frowned and smiled, chattered and whispered among themselves keeping their curious eyes at me and then asked me something in elvish.

“I do not understand elvish tongue.” Confessed I and added the first thing that came to my mind. “I’m from Gondor. I got lost in your forest.”

“Aw, poor creature!” one of the girls said and pointed at my shorts. “You had to come through such hard trials that even your dress wore down to knickers!” she flapped with her arms.

I made a sad face and declined my head trying to hide my telltale blush.

“Yes. I’ve started my journey a month ago from Gondor to Rivendell and everything was fine until I entered this enchanted forest and went astray.” I tried to sound lamentably and then continued. “Not a drop has passed my lips for three days. I’m both tired and hungry.”

“Whoa!” another girl caressed my hair with a pity and touched my hand. “Please come with us, poor child we will give you clothes, food and shelter to rest.”

I nodded and thanked them.

They walked arm in arm with me and felt awesomely inquisitive.

“Are all the maidens in Gondor as pretty as you are?” inquired one of them that permanently was looking intently at my long silver hair with jealousy.

I smiled at her paid compliment.

“Well,” I made a little pause and answered honestly. “I think that I’m just an ordinary girl and that’s all.”

In response I heard their ringing laughter.

I felt a bit confused and then another one seeing my bewildered expression, stated.

“As you may notice it already, we have brown and red hair. I mean almost all of us are of dark colors. There are only two elves in the Woodland Realm that have fair hair. And they are our king Thranduil and his son Legolas.”

“Uhm…” I mumbled pensively. “I didn’t know about it.” Stressed I sincerely and noticed the girls smiling mysteriously at me.

I frowned and gazed at them questionably.

“Tell her!” one of the girls pushed her elbow in her neighbor’s side.

“No, you tell her!” shot out another one. And then they both spoke simultaneously.

“You look just like our king Thranduil and he is such a handsome man!” they got into a shoving match, laughing merrily.

I was discouraged a little hearing such an unusual comparison and all I could say was one word.

“Really?”

They ceased their mischief and directed their attention at me.

“Aha! Aha! Yes, like a spitting image of him.” confirmed they in unison, nodding frequently.

I cleared my throat and got annoyed mentally.

“Do I actually look like a boy?” I asked myself remembering about funny situations with dwarves and elves before.

That moment I didn’t take into account that the main reason people took me for a boy was quite obvious – I lacked dress. All maidens in Middle Earth wore dresses. Every single girl had them, beginning from laundress and ending with noble lady. Even elven lords were dressed in gowns. But I was travelling like a modern girl in casual outfit.

“Not for this world. You are a pretty elven boy, face it, Teriana!” I came to disappointing conclusion and gave a sad sigh.

“I do feel thankful for your kindness but can we walk further as I feel a little dizzy?” I wondered.

The girls groaned and took my arms again.

“Excuse us. We just went too far.” said one of them. “Let’s go inside and we will feed you.”

So owing to these two fun girls I found myself in the Elven King Thranduil’s domain.

The elven maidens were too kind indeed. They got plenty food for me, they found the best silver dress for me that enhanced the beauty of my silver hair. They also cared for my recreation and found a very nice cave to rest in.

The offered room that my new elven friends so amiably provided me with was very small but really cozy. There was wooden furniture – two chairs, one round table and a bed. Also there was a kind of a wardrobe that was almost empty – two dresses and two pairs of shoes. I consider that is a normal thing for an ordinary girl in this place.

The dwelling seemed habitable because there remained some used cups and dishes on the table and it likely belonged to one of them. That was I thought about it.

In two words, I was touched so deeply and presented lovely bracelets to each of the girls having gladdened them a lot.

As soon as they left me having wished to have a nice evening I sat down on the bed admiringly gazing at my new dress and started stroking it cautiously. I’ve never seen such dresses. Only in some fairy tales on some nobles ladies.

“Teriana, this dress is simply adorable, please care and treasure it and try not destroying it the same way you’ve done to the previous one.”

But then another more rational, sagacious voice in my head said.

“I hope you came here not for marveling at dresses. You are to find the dwarves.”

I made a faint attempt to argue with this voice.

“Only one is here. The others will be brought in the morning only.”

The voice kept silence a little and then continued.

“That’s even better for you. An activity to keep your mind busy. Go and make reconnaissance around here.”

“All right. But let me think about the plan first.” I hinted to the voice.

Of course I didn’t have any plan I was simply playing for time.

My eyes tiredly blinked and I yawned all of a sudden.

“Aw, please! Don’t fall asleep! Not now!” the voice demanded insistently.

“Ok. Ok.” I agreed hastily. “I will make a small investigation for today.”

With these words I left my room and went down the stairs. I met several elves on my way and they didn’t pay any attention to me. And that was good because it meant they took me for as one of them.

Air smelled spirits and I froze on the spot sniffing it. “There must be a vine vault.” I thought and passed near the arch that was like a tunnel that stretched into darkness. I was rather curious and entered it taking few steps. But as soon as I heard rumbling sound I huddled up against the wall.

There were two elven guards who escorted somebody onwards and they marched very close to me that I even felt a breath of the wind.

Turning left the guards lit the torches and the little flame started dancing far in the tunnel and then faded away.

I breathed out nervously. A door squeaking sound, a turn of the key, and then two men walked back. Bating my breath I pressed myself against the wall again.

Two men passed me by and disappeared at last.

I remained standing for a while and then decided to return to my chamber.

I was sure that the convoyed person was Thorin Oakenshield because somehow I felt it. So now I knew where that one was imprisoned.

Tomorrow other dwarves and Bilbo will be here too and then we together with hobbit will be able to think up something.

Owing to my present new appearance I could move around almost freely and that was a great advantage.

I yawned again rubbing my heavy lids while coming up the stone steps.

“Tonight I will be sleeping inside the elven cave. Well, at least it’s much better than to stay in bewitched forest.” I pondered over the matter.

Unfortunately that night was quite uneasy. I was tossing all night because of the one obsessive dream that kept me broad awake. My mind was bothered with Thorin that was imprisoned in the dungeon and I felt strange aching in my heart that never let me fall asleep.

“What if I go there and try to take him out?” asked I myself, twisting my strand round the finger. “How are you gonna do it without keys?”

I scratched my forehead thinking, and recollected the book’s events. As far as I knew it, the keys were found by Bilbo and he was able to do it only in two weeks or so.

“God! I will have to live here for two weeks more! Damn! Thorin is to stay imprisoned for two weeks!” I yelled it loudly and hopped on my bed.

And then frowned and inquired myself.

“But why should I worry for him? Elves will feed him and the others and when the time comes...”

“Teriana stop it immediately! What are you saying? You are free, not in the prison.” The voice in my mind rebuked me.

“It’s none of my doing that Sir Tolkien prepared such unlucky fate for him.” I found a good excuse. “In case I could be able to find the key and let him out that thing would violate the right stream of the story. But is it possible to influence it from inside, isn’t it? I mean when I turned to be in this story from outer world. I doubt it strongly.”

“Perhaps, you are to try it?” I proposed it to myself and then returned to my Thorin’s visions.

He’s probably sitting inside there frustrated and broils with irritation and wonders where his dwarves are. He is forsaken and suffers in loneliness. Totally crushed.

“And why do you care for him so much? Yes, he was rather sympathetic and quite courteous but that’s all. What have you imagined? And what’ll you think of next, I wonder. This feels like mere friends’ relations and no more. Don’t even dream of it! It would be rather a foolish idea...You are too different. From different, opposite worlds. Too different to be together.

You are born yesterday, vulnerable and exist in dreams rather than in actuality.

And he is an arrogant, proud-spirited, self-loving person that aspires to honors, aspires after glory, too hard and too majestic for you. No, don’t even dream about him. He is not for you. You can’t simply be together. Just forget about it.”

But my heart was denying to listen to my mind that was so insistent and tried to sound convincing. Instead it began to suffer from even stronger pain that sounded like a tightly strained string.

“I’m crushed.” breathed out I feeling that this pent-up emotion pushes me to crying.         

“I won’t do it.” Uttered I firmly, and burst into tears all of a sudden.

I’m not sure when and how I managed to sleep but I remember that in my dream I was singing Svrcina’s song again.

 

_Listen,_

_I think you can hear_

_My heart beating_

_It’s pounding so loud_

_I'm sure_

_Everyone knows_

_I'm so exposed_

_And you’re distant…_

_You don't even know_

_That I’m crushed_

_And now nothing can be what it was_

_One day I woke up_

_And knew everything changed_

_And I’m feeling so strange_

_Is it love?_

_I don't know what I’m supposed to do_

_But I can’t stop thinking of you_

_Think it's real_

_And my secrets reveal_

_And you don't even feel the rest_

_And I'm crushed._

_You got me_

_I wish I could go back_

_And stop me_

_From feeling that chained_

_Boy, and you crushed my head_

_And the rain accident_

_Live and die_

_I’m losing this fight_

_And I’m crushed_

_And now nothing can be what it was_

_One day I woke up_

_And knew everything changed_

_And I’m feeling so strange_

_Is it love?_

_I don't know what I’m supposed to do_

_But I can’t stop thinking of you_

_Think it's real_

_And my secrets reveal_

_And you don't even feel the rest._

_I'm crushed._

Next early morning Ehlorin that was one of the girl’s names woke me up.

“Wake up you sleepyhead!” she sang near my ear and forced an apple in my hand.

“Eat it and let’s go with us. You urgently need fresh air; you’re pale like a grim death. I’m sure that’s because it’s a bit stuffy in here. Bet you never lived in caves. Am I right?”

She chattered like a magpie incessantly deluding me with questions.

“No.” I answered. “We live in houses in Gondor.”

“I know that you live in houses, mortal men accustomed living in such dwellings. And you stay active during the day; we prefer to lead life a twilight life.”

“Like vampires.” It flashed here in my mind but I didn’t tell her about it.

“Yes. That’s very interesting, Ehlorin.” Agreed I. “Probably we should go out in the evening then?”

“No. The morning sun is healthier for you. I bet you have lacked it greatly wandering around the dusky thicket of bewitched Mirkwood.”

The girl smiled at me kindly and added.

“All right, Teriana. Get dressed while I pick up Laurinel and then we come here for you.”

I nodded and as soon as the maiden left me reached for my backpack.

I checked all my belongings and sighed sullenly once I took out my phone. The charge was low but I was eager to see one photo.

There was Thorin, shot secretly before trolls attack, sitting near Balin and gazing incredulously at me.

Frankly speaking it happened purely by chance. I pushed the button suddenly when I used my phone and it captured his image.

I watched his sulky and proud glance and felt shiver down my spine.

“But that was when we have just met each other.” I whispered sliding my look down the photo and reminded myself to ask the girls about the imprisoned dwarves.

I was sure they were here already.

Thorin’s eyes were drilling me with suspicion and profound mistrust. This photo will become soon a thing of the past when my device stops working.

That’s good of course that I had two batteries with me. One has already been dead and I stopped to listen to the music long long ago to save the charge. As soon as my phone discharges I will connect it to the last battery. And later it won’t ever switch on again because of charging lack.

That purports that I will never ever hear magical silver voice of Svrcina’s since that moment. I felt cold emptiness crept inside and switched off my phone having shoved it into my bag. I didn’t risk showing my phone to my new elven friends not to frighten them.

“But maybe by this time I will be able to return home?” I supposed mentally. “Perhaps, I will fulfill my “mission” and I will be sent back?”

My pondering was interrupted with a cheerful laughter of Ehlorin and Laurinel which came back.

“Are you ready?” they inquired together and not waiting for my response dragged me out of the bed.

The elven girls helped me to dress and to put on my shoes.

“You’re sleeping your day away, Teriana!” they joked at me and then we left the room right away.

The part of Mirkwood where we happened to be very soon differed greatly from what I have seen in thicket.

There were sunny glades with green grass and fragrant meadow flowers of white and blue and the birds were singing their beautiful songs. It all looked like a small magical island among the many hundred acres of the perished forest.

I felt elated and breathed in the fresh August air walking down shoeless to the river’s shore. It was a true pleasure to feel the tickling and soft at the same time touches of the grass blades.

The maidens kept walking beside me and chattered in Elvish discussing something and cast their lively gazes at me. I noticed them swapped the bracelets those I gave them yesterday.

Approaching the river I heard its wild stream voice and felt stunned by its magnificence.

The waters of the Forest River were crystal clear and its rapid current followed southeasterly course to its outflow into the Long Lake.

We found a cozy dell just right near the water and girls flopped on the ground, squeaking hilarious and rolling on the grass.

I watched this careless mischief and smiled inside.

“Are there many so much pleasant places over here?” I addressed them my curious question.

Laurinel stopped fooling around and rose on her elbows. She tossed her curls back and puffed funnily.

“No. Only this one and several more beyond Emyn-nu-Fuin. I mean over the Mirkwood Mountains.” She answered. “But we cannot go there as it’s strictly forbidden by His Majesty. Orcs and goblins scour the wood all the time. And they have become more frequent, I mean their sudden attacks. That is why we are here and that is why we cannot go so far.”

“I see.” Nodded I and addressed her another question. “Yesterday I saw some dwarf with two guards…”

“Ahh!” Ehlorin engaged in our conversation. “He was taken to the dungeons. I heard Galion saying to me that was Thorin from Erebor and he was too stubborn to reveal his purpose of intrusion in the Woodland Realm to our king but His Majesty identified the dwarf immediately and ordered to imprison him. And furthermore, thirteen more dwarves were seized at dawn in the forest and interrogated as well. But none of them said the truth to our king.”

“Our king is wiser and he waits.” Interrupted proudly Laurinel and pushed me a little.

“You are to see him for sure! He is such a hot beauty!” She giggled, blushing and batting her eyelashes.

“Yes, looking just like me as you said. I’m not so really anxious to meet him.” Mentioned I mentally.

I looked at Ehlorin curiously and couldn’t help asking.

“The prisoners….What is your king supposed to do with them?”

The elven maiden’s eyes were frowning.

“Aw, the dwarves you mean? Ughh! They are grim, shaggy, hairy and had beards. I don’t care about them. They are not to my taste at all.” She said suddenly not answering my question.

“Yes, our elves have smooth pale skin that shines with noble moonlight.” Laurinel supported her friend.

I had no desire either to controvert their likings or quarrel with them so I decided to stop talking about the dwarves, promising myself to find my friends later.

“How are you going to send me back to Gondor?” I asked them and saw pouted lips in front of me.

“Is it too boring? Aren’t we having a good time?” Laurinel’s voice sounded upset.

“Yes. Stay with us as long as you wish. Soon we have lots of feasts. Our king simply adores feasting!” tried to assure me Ehlorin.

“Well,” I tried to look pensive. “I do love to stay by you and feel endlessly grateful for your care and entertainment. I’ve asked only for nearest future.”

“Future is vague. Cuio thî that means live in the moment as you say.” Ehlorin stated. “Though our life lasts much longer than mortals’.”

“All right.” I smiled softly and asked my last question, the request exactly.

“Do me a little favor and sing, will you? I’m very fond of your sweet elvish tongue.”

The girls exchanged their glances and Ehlorin started it.

Unfortunately, I can’t write here the words of the song because I know Sindarin very poorly. Ha-ha! But I can describe this pretty tune of harmony that sometimes flowed so smoothly into sad notes and then returned to merry tone.

When Laurinel joined with her party I was taken aback with the beauty of her clearest voice.

She was singing so profoundly and so piercing that I’ve got chilled and opened my mouth.

It felt like a miracle. Me, sitting here on the isle of fantastic nature listening to the beautiful song in Sindarin and that made me feel so happy and so honored.

“What is your song about?” pestered I her when she finished.

“About one girl that got lost in the forest looking for her beloved.” Explained Laurinel and attacked me with unexpected question. “Do you have a beloved?”

Her question confused me somehow and I felt at a loose end. I don’t know why but my restless mind drew me a vision of Thorin again. Damn it! I knew it was the craziest thought.

“Of course she has! She is such a beauty! Don’t ask her stupid questions!”

I heard a loud reproach of Ehlorin.

“Frankly speaking, I don’t. I mean I don’t have anyone now.” I cast down my eyes.

“Hey!” burst out Laurinel all of sudden, her eyes were burning with frolic. “Introduce her to Miluimen, he’s a very decent guy. Nice and smart.”

“He dates Miramel.” Ehlorin shook her head. “It’s better to acquaint her with Anarion, he is strong and so many girls are crazy about him.”

It felt like Laurinel didn’t like Ehlorin’s offer and she even got irritated.

“Why do you think she should like this hard rude fellow instead of a gentle guy? I don’t think he is a good match for her at all!”

I watched them quarrelling and their sincerest care for my matchmaking amused me a lot.

“Listen,” I called them both and Ehlorin with Laurinel stared closely at me. “Thank you a lot. But I don’t need anyone now.”

The maidens shrugged their shoulders and uttered disappointedly.

“As you wish, Teriana.”

I saw their eyes full of frustration that all their attempts to find a boy-friend for me failed and so I wished to encourage them.

“You were talking about feast. Give me a chance and I will certainly use it and find someone for me.”

My words aroused their dreamy smiles.

“Some special one.” Laurinel sang kiddingly. “Like our king for example. He loves beauties.”

Ehlorin pushed her shoulder and shushed her falsely.

“Don’t be stupid, Laurinel. He prefers only noble Sindar.”

“Only Great Eru wits.” Parried her Laurinel and looked sassy at her friend. “Leave it to her. If that's the case, shouldn't she be able to choose who she wants to be friends with?”  

Ehlorin gave up.

“Fine. Shall we go inside and have something for lunch?”

I nodded together with Laurinel. It seemed we both were hungry.

***

This day we spent together doing different things, including Sindarin studying.

Yes, Ehlorin and Laurinel taught me some phrases in elvish.

And I was eager to learn this magnificent melodious language.

In twilight time my new elven friends and I went outside again and there I watched amazingly beautiful and miraculous phenomenon. Air in wood glowed with silver soft light that hang like misty cloud. The cloud that migrated between trees here and there and it was producing faint wings flapping.

My heart and mind were charmed and I asked Laurinel that was closer to me.

She giggled at my obvious surprise and spoke.

“These are fireflies only. You must see the stars when they dance in the circle in the skies. That’s a marvelous thing to watch.”

“And when this thing will happen?” I was intrigued greatly.

Laurinel observed the moon and counted in her mind.

“In three nights after this night.” She informed me and looked mysteriously. “By the way, we will have a grandiose feast and king Thranduil will definitely visit it.”

She probably waited for my curious response but I couldn’t gladden her with words those would be to her taste, because they were full of indifference.

“I see.”     

And poor Laurinel turned to Ehlorin and whispered.

“She must be crazy to refuse meeting with him. He is purely...”

“Live her alone,” whispered back Ehlorin. “And don’t decide for her.”

I pretended that I did not listen to them. But I understood that Laurinel was a little jealous of me and was secretly in love with the Elven King.

And my mind for unknown reason was obsessed with Thorin again. And first I tried to banish all the thoughts of him away from my head but all was in vain, emotion beyond definition proved to be much stronger than me.

I don’t know why but a scene with compass’s needle flashed in my mind and I heard my heart pounding loudly. It was pointing at him all the time. “My heart is Compass” – sounded in my head.

I felt like a silly girl…longing for his beautiful eyes and hoarse voice that could not only command but was able to whisper tender words. His warmth so pleasant and so comforting, and that sensation of safety that enshrouded me when I was there in his gentle arms. It seemed to me that it’s crazy but I wanted to rush down there and free him.

“No keys.” a quick reminder flickered in my head. “Get the keys and let’s talk then. Or it’d be better to find Bilbo. He was the one in the book who got the keys.”

“Are you all right?” I heard Laurinel's voice and came back to reality.

“Yes...mmm. I'm just a bit tired.” I slowly muttered.

The girls interchanged glances and Ehlorin felt pity for me.

“Let’s go now. That’s nearly midnight.”

I didn’t lie I was tired but before going to sleep I had a look at Thorin's photo in my phone.

He looked irritated and formidable as previously and I wished him good night and fell asleep.

Asleep? I wasn’t sure it felt like sleeping because it was more like keeping awake because that was far too real.

Endless meandering up and down passages in whimsical haze; perfect quietness and desolation; and me walking down and down the stone steps like a lunatic.

But it actually felt like I learnt this way very well and was moving forth using my sixth sense.

No darkness could frighten me into and no obstacle could stop me on my way.

Some secret power inspired confidence in me and guided me through this black nothing in familiar tunnel.

It turned left shortly and something told me to stop here.

I came closer to the metal bars and peered through them.

Somehow I knew that it was Thorin’s chamber.

My heart chimed and erupted when it seemed to me that I saw his curled silhouette. Having put his palm under his head, he slept on the stone bench.

Ithilivren’s shining grew stronger all of a sudden and now I could discern the color of his clothes.

I was tenderly gazing over the dwarf and my heart consumed compassion. Ithilivren hit the metal bar with a thud when I leaned forward.

The dwarf woke up with a start. And I had to step back to the wall quickly and wrap my hand around the crystal. But the shimmering was so bright and Ithilivren’s light protruded between my fingers.

“Who’s there?” Thorin asked anxiously looking around. He saw some faint shining and came up to the door.

I pressed myself against the wall even tighter feeling my heart pounding in my ears.

“He noticed me. What am I to do?” I felt shiver inside. “Why did you come here, silly girl???” I rebuked myself roundly. “That’s sheer madness! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Now wait till he falls asleep again….”

Well, some of you would certainly advise me to reveal myself to him, I’m sure. But for me it would have been difficult to explain the reason I turned to be here.

In meantime Thorin returned to his place and sat down on the bench.

I kept my hand closed around the crystal and tried to take rare sighs.

The dwarf started delving in his backpack for his flint. He struck fire and I watched him smoking his pipe. Ten long minutes passed and then Thorin began to measure his chamber with steps. It lasted a lot of time for me and my limbs got numb from continuous standing.

“He won’t sleep at all. He will find another occupation for himself.” Thought I and was right. Thorin sat down and began to sing.

That moment I changed my mind and decided to stay a little longer.

His velvety baritone was singing unknown words for me in his own language however I managed to catch this epic spirit of the song. It sounded solemnly and called for images of something mighty and grandiose like the Lonely Mountain. I heard him singing Erebor word in the end.

Thorin’s loud sigh violated the after-pause.

“Nobody listens to me anyway!” He grumbled, climbed on the bench, and stretched along it.

I wanted to say that I heard his wonderful song and liked it a lot but I understood that now I should be quieter than ever because soon I have an opportunity to escape unnoticed.

In twenty minutes after it I was ready to slide down the wall from tiredness as I felt both dizzy and tired. I had no strength to stand anymore and my right hand seemed to stick to the crystal.

Thorin decided to have mercy on me and at last I heard his hardly heard sniffing.

Very cautiously, trying to keep my balance I’ve receded a few paces and then rapidly ran upstairs.

Was it a dream or not, I can’t say because everything looked so real. However it becalmed my soul and filled me with hope that made me believe we would see each other with Thorin quite soon.

Next day was very warm and pleasant and it brought unusual surprise.

When I was dressing myself for the morning saunter as usual Ehlorin entered and greeted me.

“Maer Arduil!” she said, that meant “Good Morning!” and walked to me.

“I’m almost ready.” Informed I her and then saw a familiar shining crystal on her palm. I’ve sensed a painful prick in my heart and got reddened.

“Is it yours?” asked Ehlorin and her glance told me that she waits explanations from me.

“Oh, yes! It’s mine! Thank you so much!” I exclaimed loudly and took it from her hand. “Where did you get this?”

The elven girl’s eyes stayed fixed on me and she said.

“Galion gave it to me. He found your jewelry while he brought food to the dwarf in the dungeon, Thorin from Erebor. ”

She watched me getting even redder and then asked me strictly.

“Are you acquainted with him?”

I shook my head.

“No. It was out of pure curiosity. I’ve never seen dwarves before.” I justified myself and that moment my thoughts tossed in my mind fervently. “So that denotes I definitely was there. It wasn’t a dream.”

Ehlorin shrugged her shoulders and showed her silent consent.

It felt like she gave credence to me. 

“I will drop into Laurinel’s room and meanwhile you can get ready for going out.”

I felt rather curious when she said about her friend’s dwelling and expressed my wish to go with her.

Ehlorin didn’t mind and so I dressed very quickly and soon we both were striding through the meandering passages of the mountain.

Elves which were passing us by greeted us and boys smiled nicely at us.

However Ehlorin disregarded these male species’ attention completely because there was only one elven guy that has already occupied her heart – Galion, the Butler.  

She confessed me once they’ve been dating for a long time and had intention to create meaningful relationship.

On my way I also remembered about Laurinel’s secret passion – her king. And when we reached her room finally I was shocked by immensity of the disaster, I mean passion sizes.

The elven maiden’s room was turned into a shrine where the object of her adoration occupied each and every corner. There were lots of items portraying the Elven King Thranduil. There were knitted images, sewed images, embroidered and decorated with gemstones and beautiful shells. There were also statuettes of Thranduil on his horse carved of wood and of stone. But the most impressive handmade thing was a portrait of the Elven King’s face, a close-up view of his huge azure eyes created from glass inlay.

“My god! Look at that! It’s almost a full set like in a gift shop!” I couldn’t hold myself and asked the girl. “Did you make all of this…amazing stuff by yourself?”

Laurinel smiled at my utterly stunned expression.

“I made most of it myself.” She stated proudly and looked around her masterpieces.

Being astonished by Laurinel’s limitless talents I felt a little awkward because I wasn’t so skilled and my achievements were much more modest.

“You’re such a talented inventor. I’m enormously impressed by your incredible works!” I complimented her.

The Elven maiden blushed and looked at smiling Ehlorin.

“That is he who is my eternal inspiration…” she whispered sighing pensively, gazing at the big portrait with eyes of azure, her totally inaccessible dream.

I sighed with her and for a second imagined myself doing the same with my room. But instead of Thranduil the whole place would be covered from floor to ceiling with Thorin’s images. I imagined and horrified because it would have looked like a raving madness. And pity to Laurinel stirred in my heart because she could never approach her object of adoration. And probably there was nothing extraordinary beyond this beautiful picture in fact, and maybe there were decent elven guys who would like to date her but she’d never say yes to them because no one of them was perfect for her as her king was. Of course Laurinel was of another opinion and lived happily with her dream.

We spent some more time with Ehlorin in her mate’s worshipping chamber and then three of us went outside and set off along the forest path to our familiar dell near the Forest River.

The girls took a lot of food and apple juice and we picked up some dew-berries on the way.

We had lunch and talked and I heard the girls joking at each other. And after it they pulled out the books they had taken with them and started reading. I felt a little bored because I had no book of mine and furthermore I couldn’t read in Elvish.

Ehlorin noticed my quenched glance and had mercy on me.

“I could read you the story I’m reading now.” she offered amiably.

“What is it about?” I wondered looking at her intrigued.

“It’s about a girl and her beloved which was captured by their sworn enemy, about her suffering and desire to save him.” the maiden replied.

I nodded frequently.

“Yes, please. I feel so much interested.”

Ehlorin flashed a smile at me and said.

“All right. Listen to me, Teriana…”

And she started reading.

Next three hours have been remarkably marvelous because I was told a heart-rending story about the elven girl called Eridea that fell in love with a mortal man Eran and he was seized by a wicked wizard that wanted to take his life for magic experiments. Eran was imprisoned in the highest of towers of the evil castle and Eridea had to climb about a week to this isolated rock above the bottomless sea. And she faced so many difficulties and obstacles on her way. Some of the mountain paths seemed impenetrable and she hurt her feet and her hands to blood. But she had no other way as she knew that she was the one who could save her beloved.

And when the maiden reached this highest tower where Eran was imprisoned she fell on the ground right there, because she was exhausted and worn to the bone. They decided to run away but the wizard learnt it in advance and he bethought to kill them both. When they were fleeing from the tower getting lower and lower the evil sorcerer summoned up the storm and the skies cracked above the heads of the beloveds and the hard rain with wild wind crushed on them frightening to fling them down against the sharp rocks. But Eran and Eridea huddled against each other and waited for the storm to end. The wizard got infuriated once he knew that unworthy men stayed alive. He ordered the night creatures of Gloom fly to the highest tower and separate beloveds. The horrible creatures yelled in shrilling voices and touched them with their ice-cold hands and pulled them down inducing to part with each other. But no matter how hard they tried, fatigued beloveds remained together despite all.

It maddened the wizard even more and then when beloveds got a little down, he made a dreadful storm at sea. The huge waves dashed against the rock enraged and they wanted to wash away Eridea and Eran who were weakened greatly. And so Eridea turned to the Great Eru with her pleas to save them.

The Great Eru heard the pleas of his child that was in trouble now and ordered Manwe’s eagle to fly to endangered beloveds and save them. The big birds picked up the weakened bodies of Eran and Eridea and soared up into the darkened skies escaping the storming sea.

At last, the both beloveds were saved, they received blessing from the Great Eru when he came to their aid.

Eagles brought Eran and Eridea back to Lindon, the Elven Kingdom of the West where they stayed and wedded, and bore three children and lived happily ever after.

“And died on one and the same day.” It slipped out from me when Ehlorin finished.

The elven girl giggled and tapped on my hand.

“You silly girl, elves live longer than any creatures.” She said. “I mean we are immortal.”

“No, we are not.” Laurinel interfered. “Ephola, gobennas o Edhil, Ehlorin.” She glanced at me and translated. “Remember Elvish history. How many elves had died before us, slayed in battles? The Great Eru gifted his beloved children a very long life because he created a special race endowed us with wisdom, clear sight and perception of the world and nature.”

“Nevertheless, that was truly romantic and enthralling story. You’re a simply terrific story-teller, thank you.” I expressed my gratitude towards Ehlorin.

The elven maiden got a slight crimson tint gaining such an adorable admiration from me.

Laurinel broke in our conversation again and inquired curiously.

“Are we gonna stay here all day long keep admiring a talent of narrating?”

I heard somewhat miffed in her tone and thus it seemed to me that she got annoyed with my high appraisal of her friend. I wished to correct the situation and glanced over the pouted elven girl.

“I do think that there is even more talented person amidst us,” I sent a hardly noticeable wink at Ehlorin and she nodded supporting me, and then complimented her friend too.

“Yeah, I’d never created anything so fabulous in my life like you did. Done absolutely nothing to highlight the beauty of our king Thranduil.” She let fall a hint and was immediately hugged by her lightened up friend.

“Thanks, you’re such a nice friend.” Laurinel whispered.

And both maidens started chuckling at their trumpery quarrel.

I watched their reconciliation and felt so warm inside. Oh, how I wished to be at home again and feel that comforting paternal care. I felt damn so lonely here though my elven friends took all the efforts to entertain me and involve me in different affairs for me not to get lonesome.

It looked like my lost in reverie expression was noticed by Ehlorin and Laurinel and they hurried to let me in their arms and encourage me.

“Teriana, don’t you dare to look like this! We know that you’re homesick but we promised you a lot of merriment in three days. So keep your chin up and don’t dare to be dull!” they warned me together.

I smiled easily at the girls and promised them I won’t let myself fall apart.

Throughout the following three days we had a lot of fun, my new elven friends never gave me a cause to get bored. There’s never a dull moment like it’s said.

And eventually the promised time I mean the night of feasting which Ehlorin told me about has come. And it definitely deserves to be described here. Wood-elves - boys and girls gathered on the other side of the river before the bridge and as if on cue they hushed staring up in skies.

When the skies curtained solemn twilight and the darkness fell on the elven forest one really beautiful and fascinating thing happened. One by one the bright stars started to appear on the endless welkin. They began switching on like small lamps and twinkled winking at us. Soon the darkened sky unwrapped like a huge carpet scattered with glowing pieces. In the final, right at midnight the Queen of Stars, the shining beauty - full moon showed herself and proudly shimmered surrounded by her glittering retinue.  

That moment I heard somebody’s voice speaking in Sindarin. It looked like I missed the moment the Elven King appeared. He stood on the bridge with his son and his elven subjects were hanging on his every word.

I watched Laurinel beside me which got crimson and was gazing at her king open-mouthed. Also I listened to Ehlorin who translated me the fragments of Thranduil’s speech.

“…Elbereth using the glistening silver dews of Telperion…the first of your brilliant new stars rose in the sky... shed light on dark lands of Middle-earth for the Firstborn…the Elves that awoke in the East by the shores of Cuiviénen… and we revere you for giving us light…

I tried to study the Elven King’s face, but he was too far from me. There was nothing but his tall slender silhouette with long silver hair fluttering in the breeze as far as the eye could reach.

When he ended talking he walked to our side; and the elves around me quickly stepped aside to open a path and let him through. They respectably bowed to their lord and Laurinel pinched me urging to do the same.

The Elven King with a proud stately appearance, with the same color of hair as mine, marched to one of the trees and hung a black oval lantern filled with silver light on the branch. He muttered something and then stepped back.

The shimmering inside the lantern began to grow and then it spread like a haze through the trees. Millions of little stars blazed in trees’ crowns and lit them up in a magical way. The whole forest seemed to be decorated in splendid shining garlands.

I felt so much enthusiastic about all this scenery that I almost missed the King of the Silvan Elves who has just passed me by and stalked along the path back to the bridge. The last thing I saw was his silver hair again that shimmered magically in the night air.

Laurinel squeezed my fingers and straightened up gawking entranced at her king’s back.

“His kisses must be so sweet and his arms…OUCH!”

Ehlorin pinched her buttock.

“Stop dreaming it, stupid girl!” she shushed reprimanding her. “Only a noble Sindar lady is able to win his heart.”

“A beauty that will be to his taste.” Laurinel reiterated quietly in her stubborn voice.

“Not you, apparently.” her elven friend cut her off.

“Not me and certainly not you.” snarled Laurinel.

I don’t know why she was so rude with Ehlorin, but I suppose merely to annoy her.

Ehlorin, to tell the truth just shrugged it off. It felt like she got accustomed to her friend’s malicious attacks. So instead of responding somewhat filthy she told me the following.

“Now it’s time for feasting. The main part of this night that includes revelry, dancing, singing and strolling till the morning.”

She forgot to mention one important thing that unbalanced me. Can you guess what it was?

Well, let it be a tiny secret for the time being.

Once the Elven King abandoned us the forest turned into a youth party.

And if Rivendell elves were peaceful and rather calm, the Wood-elves had a taste to merrymaking for sure.

They divided in groups and started dancing in circles and singing, and so I joined my girls. I didn’t understand their song, but it was very cheerful and Ehlorin was pronouncing the words so well near my ear that I started repeating them after her.

When the song ended the dancing girls burst out laughing; and boys supported them and then invited them for a saunter.

In the meantime Laurinel introduced me to her friend Miluimen, a big chestnut-haired guy with blue eyes.

“This is my friend Teriana. She is from Gondor.”

“Nice to meet you, Teriana.” the elven guy said and shook my hand. “Your hair looks terrific!” he uttered admiringly.

“Yeah, thanks.” I answered him and suppressed my unwanted giggle anticipating comparison with the King of the Silvan Elves. Yes, quite a normal phenomenon in this realm. It’s odd but Miluimen didn’t say a word about him. Perhaps, he was a well-mannered person but I can’t say the same about the others. They were really annoying and for a moment I agreed with Laurinel’s choice in Thranduil’s favor.

Meanwhile, the fun continued. I’d say it drove right to its main phase.

Ehlorin brought a sturdy guy along, a mountain of muscles and that one had red wavy hair and he held a tray with several glasses. For a single moment observing his hair I remembered about Thorin and sighed inwardly hoping to see him soon.

After Ehlorin acquainted me with her companion whose name was Anarion he offered us cool beverages.

Mine tasted like a cherry wine and was rather delicious. What a pity no one told me this elven drink was a challenge.   

I’m not sure how long has it been exactly since I’ve tasted wine. All I could remember shortly after, there’s a lot of odd things going on around here.

At first there was a strange sensation spreading through my body. When I looked up to the starry skies I smiled at the stars which were funnily dancing in circles.

I don’t know whether this exact dance of the stars Laurinel meant once she told me about it but it made me laugh because it looked so hilarious.

I missed the moment somebody caught my wrist and pulled me after, and that turned to be old exhilarated Laurinel that was laughing loudly and yelled somewhat merry. And then our group of boys and girls whirled round in circles, and that was such a sprite and agile dance that my head span.

That moment I wondered inwardly. “If our dear Sir Tolkien knew so well about the elven leisure, why didn’t he describe it? Or he wanted to keep a mystery?”

Squalling and roaring with laughter the three of us tumbled on the grass.

“That was a mind-blowing!” Laurinel cried out in ecstatic voice beside me.

“Yeah, feeling dizzy.” Ehlorin agreed and asked me. “We got carried away, are you all right?”  

I tried to get my head together but wasn’t good at it. My head seemed so heavy that I couldn’t keep it up.

“I don’t know.” I admitted my feeble.

Laurinel bent over my face and smiled.

“Your heart aches, your head hurts, makes it hard to concentrate, Teriana, doesn’t it?”

I sent her a slight nod.

“Close your eyes and start breathing in and out very slowly until you feel more stable.”

Regretting that I did not ask Laurinel about the stable state meaning I did as she said and took several breathes.

I lay with my eyes closed and was thinking about myself.

I imagined my friends found out I got drunken while travelling around the Middle Earth when I would tell them about it.

“Gone rowdy and crazy?” They would ask me. And I would feel ill immediately.

Oh, please! Let’s cut this disgraceful scene from this story as they say while film editing.

I pray you won’t tell my friends about this not really nice case when you meet them, deal?

Quite honestly I wished this endless feasting would end after all. That was not the kind of excitement I ever wanted. I mean everything was fine until I tasted wine.

I believe that I was in a state of reposing too long because the voices surrounding me quieted. A little shaking of my shoulder made me open my eyes.

I saw Thorin above me and bent my brows in puzzlement.

“Would you like to take a moonlight stroll?” he wondered and smiled in imposing way.

Only then I paid attention to his red hair and quite different from Thorin’s voice.

This Silvan elf thrust out his hand and helped me to up.

“My name is Anarion.” He said and smiled nicely again.

“Teriana.” I introduced myself to him.

Anarion offered me his hand again.

“Do you mind walking?” he asked casually.

“I don’t mind. I think I need to allow my lungs to expand widely to imbibe the air.”

The red-haired elven guy laughed and then we moved on ahead.

“You’re funny Teriana.” Anarion said and gazed at me. “Ehlorin told me you were from Gondor? How you turned to be here?”

That’s good it was night and that I was slightly tipsy and therefore this guy couldn’t notice my telltale blush.

“Well, I was travelling to Rivendell through your forest and got lost.” I began narrating my false story again.

“Imladris is hidden from the eyes of the strangers and one cannot find the right path to enter it.”

I heard some sort of distrust in his voice and for a second felt rummy. This elf didn’t believe me like my girlfriends did. I think I looked bewildered for a while but then I gave a shake to my memory and uttered.

“I was there once and got acquainted with Lord Elrond’s daughter, Lady Arwen.” My hand reached for Ithilivren and I showed it to Anarion. “This crystal was given to me as a keepsake that I’ve been there.”

I breathed with relief. Now I told him the truth.

The Silvan elf was thoroughly examining my shining jewelry and then he replied.

“I know you did not lie about it.”

Why sure! I’ve been there of course!

And then this elven guy rewarded me with his broad smile.

“You are very pretty, Teriana. And pretty girls can’t lie.”

I was astounded with Anarion’s phrase.

First, because he called me a girl. “Wait a minute! I’m wearing a dress. He can’t be mistaken.” I quickly said within me and then his second phrase got me thinking of its sense.

But when he voiced his next words everything became clear and I understood that I’m simply stupid.

His palm touched my cheek and stroked my silver hair.

“You are a real beauty!” he said, putting all his admiration in his sentence and I learnt that he was flirting with me.

“The glowing of the moon enhances your beauty and you look really gorgeous tonight.” Anarion continued.

But when the next moment he stooped to me, well you know why, I pushed him back a little and stated. “I’m sorry. I’m betrothed to one man.”

Yes, my mind played such a trick with me giving an unusual prompt, but it worked!

Anarion straightened up and bowed respectfully to me.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” He apologized. “I don’t know who’s that guy, elf or man, but he is damn lucky, Teriana!” he smiled kindly the last time and was gone.

I watched him retreating, and thought.

“Don’t know who this guy is either. And who’s he actually?”

Suddenly I noticed my elven girls hurrying to me, and gasped. They saw us together and that means I couldn’t avoid questioning.

Damn, I was right.

Ehlorin pounced upon me first and deluged me with her intrusive questions.

“How was he? What did he say to you? Did you talk about dating?”

And after it she started shaking her friend.

“I told you she likes strong men, not that Miluimen, puny muscles!”

“My god! Well, can’t argue with logic like that.” I thought and said out loud. “Calm down! We had nothing.”

Laurinel shrugged her shoulders feeling at a loss but Ehlorin resumed her interrogation.

“We saw you kissing.”

“Yeah, you were kissing.” Her friend supported her hesitantly.

I snorted with laughter.

“There was no any kissing, he only said some words and departed.”

The both girls got frowned.

“Which words?” Ehlorin was restless.

“That you are very beautiful and he’d like to come to know you better.”

I knew that my phrase will create a win-win situation and I saw a proof to it in a second.

The elven girl produced a loud despising snort and pouted.

“Nuts to him! I’m going to be betrothed with Galion this Iavas end.” Her troubled eyes were desperately looking at the elven groups behind us. “By the way, I think I saw him somewhere there…hmmm.” She mumbled and then left us.

I watched Laurinel before me and saw that sadness that came over her spirit.

“Your king won’t come here again?” I asked the girl, and that one sighed in reverie.

“No. He is in his royal chamber. Having a good time with his own self.” She replied. “For hundreds years he’s being living a solitary life alone since he lost his soul mate, his spouse and Legolas’s mother.”

I listened to Laurinel’s melancholic voice and for a moment I felt sympathy to the King of the Silvan Elves.

Indeed, he is lonely and Laurinel too and she admires and worships her king and he even doesn’t know there is someone who really cares for him. “A very familiar situation.” I thought remembering myself not so long ago in Ehlorin’s room singing “I’m crushed” by Svrcina.   

I heard Svrcina’s bewitching voice in my head so clearly as if she was nearby.

… _Darling, look up to the sky_

_You see the stars up there, all are friends of mine_

_My heart is etched into the moon_

_It has a message just for you_

_If you're lonely_

_Please don't worry_

_Baby, I am lonely, too_

_This waiting season_

_Keeps me believing_

_At the right turn I'll know it's you_

_Just have faith, one day we'll make_

_A UNIVERSE OF TWO_

_I wish this distance would disappear_

_The world's too big without you here_

_Constellations shining bright_

_I'll have to carry my love through the night_

_If you're lonely_

_Please don't worry_

_Baby, I am lonely, too_

_This waiting season_

_Keeps me believing_

_At the right turn I'll know it's you_

_Just have faith, one day we'll make_

_A UNIVERSE OF TWO_

_Look up, way up_

_Look up, my love_

_I just wanted to say_

_For now we're apart and that's ok_

_Wanna hear your voice my heart can see_

_There's a place for you and me_

_So if you're lonely_

_Please don't worry_

_Baby, I am lonely, too_

_This waiting season_

_Keeps me believing_

_At the right turn I'll know it's you_

_Just have faith, one day will make_

_A UNIVERSE OF TWO_...

“One day we’ll make a Universe of Two.” I repeated the last phrase of Svrcina’s song delightedly and gazed back at frozen up Laurinel. 

“Why won’t venture it? You could make the world a sweeter place.” I used another phrase from Svrcina’s useful songs. Yeah, they are like a saving hand in an hour of need.

“What?” Laurinel awoke from her upset state of mind. “What do you mean?”

“That’s a song that can help you.” I answered. “It could help you if you are to try.”

“You mean me and our king?” Laurinel re-asked me, blushing.

“Why not?” I uttered shrugging my shoulder. “You’ll never know until you try.

Her sad eyes became sadder.

“You don’t know much about him, Teriana. As Ehlorin has already told you he is a hunter for real beauties.”

Well, I felt really awkward when she uttered it and saw a lack of confidence I always suffer from. But as this situation concerned my friend I decided to talk to her. I don’t know why but Laurinel sometimes resembled me, I mean my present state of mind and my behavior from time to time copied hers. I learnt it once I visited her room, a shrine of her passionate adoration, her King Thranduil. (Perhaps, that was also a reason why the girls accommodated me in Ehlorin’s room) I arrived at the inescapable conclusion that the thoughts about Thorin became more and more obsessive with each time and it was hard to banish them especially when you know that soon he gets free and you will see him again. I had these moments when I felt intense panic and strong excitement at that thought. Nevertheless, I knew I should never stop working on myself.

I took Laurinel’s hand and smiled warmly at her.

“Sometimes it looks like all things against us and we stop believing in wonders. But the strength of the heart comes from the soundness of the faith. If you have faith the way will open.” I sighed out feeling like something or someone pushes me to tell her all these fine words.

Laurinel’s grey eyes brightened.

“If you never reveal yourself no one will know about your love except you.” I ended and next moment my elven friend gave me a very big and tight hug.

“You’re such a nice friend!” whispered Laurinel and looked at me. “I need to go home and think it over. Are you staying here or going with me?”

I cast a quick glance over strolling elven couples and said my yes to the latest.

On my way I was pondering about the events of this crazy night and our recent conversation with Laurinel. How easily she believed in herself. Why am I not able to do the same? Is it so hard?

“Yes, it’s hard. Harder than anything in the world because this disbelief in yourself is a core of all your troubles. Be shy and well-mannered is good but to love oneself is not the same. When you don’t love yourself, no one loves you.”

My tired eyes caught a faint glow of the sun on the horizon and I remembered my advice to Laurinel regarding Thranduil. 

“Fire burns desperate and true, isn’t it?” a line from Svrcina’s song was like a familiar reminder. Just hit the spot.

“Yes, it’s true. I’m feeling blue.” I answered and yawned feeling that I will drop off to sleep right away. Thanks God, this night of overexcitement has ended.

***

I remembered quite well from the book that Bilbo had been looking for dwarves for about two weeks. In fact I knew where the dwarves were imprisoned though I’ve never been to that place. If you ask me why I didn’t tell the hobbit about it, I can answer that I wasn’t sure what would happen if I reveal him what I knew. All in good time.

Besides, I was curious about elven domestic life.

Yes, I’ve already seen somewhat interesting and enjoyed Rivendell’s atmosphere. But fourteen days is just nothing to find out everything about elves, let’s face it.

I have to tell you I had a terrible headache after a sleepless hilarious night and felt like a sleepwalker throughout the whole day. I really tried to be cautious enough and watched whether anybody was watching me but that same evening I encountered the Elven King Thranduil. I don’t know why he was in the same place as me while his subjects celebrated. (Yes, there followed the second series next evening) Perhaps, he spied after me?

Well, I can’t say how it all happened. I was simply walking along the passages and entered one of the chambers. Frankly speaking it was next to impossible passing it by.

A very fine, sweet aroma was coming from that place and I stepped into it.

The room was full of flowers, scarlet and white roses, sweet meadow flowers. They grew in big pots placed all over.

I couldn’t help myself and approached them. My senses were telling me that it’s not safe to stay here but aroma was too seductive.

Oh, what a pleasure it was to touch all these soft petals, cupping buds with my hands and nuzzle at them breathing in this unbearably splendid magical aroma!

I was so carried away that I even felt dizzy. This small flower isle of happiness captured my imagination. And present moment I was soaring in the sunny sky in the clouds. Having forgotten about the dwarves, having forgotten about Middle Earth, about everything in the world I switched off my mind and only kept myself surrounded with this weightless haze of delicacy.

I recovered from annoyed voice and persistent tugging of my shoulder.

“I said who are you and what are you doing here?”

I gave a start of surprise and turned my head backward.

“What?” and hushed as I faced the Elven King himself.

We stared at each other like two sheep.

“Who are you?” Thranduil repeated for the nth time.

Having invented nothing better I fell down on my knees and declined my head guiltily.

“I’m so sorry, Your Majesty! Your wonderful garden was so much attractive, it would be foolish not to notice it.”

It seemed the King of the Silvan Elves was taken aback with my sincere avowal and he suddenly leaned towards me, and his hands raised me up.

His pale fingers stretched to my face and pulled up my chin forcing me to look into his azure eyes.

“Haven’t I seen you anywhere before?” he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “What’s your name?”

I moved my head.

“No, Your Majesty. My name is Teriana.”

“Te-ri-ana.” drawled out Thranduil pensively and his gaze became very cunning. “So you like beautiful flowers, yeah?”

My head nodded in response.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I wish I hadn’t said that.

Because next moment his hand gripped my wrist and he dragged me after him.

“Come with me, nin melelloth. (My dear flower)”

I could make nothing of what he said. Not a single word of his elvish tongue, and so I simply hurried after him obediently.

We followed the passages going higher and higher in utter silence and eventually reached a chamber of exquisite design in creamy laces resembling a boudoir of some Sleeping Beauty or a Fairy-tale princess.

May God forgive me but this room did not look like a king’s royal chamber at all. 

There was a high round table on metal legs and a glass vessel with wine and two goblets.

The Elven King poured this sparkling ruby liquid into them and gave one to me.

“Nice to meet you, Teriana.” He said, clinking his goblet with mine and drained the wine to the bottom.

Well, I had to drink with him as I did not have any choice. Damn these drinking elves!

The wine was too heady and I felt it right away. It relaxed my mind and made my cheeks flushed.

The King of the Silvan Elves seemed to notice it because he rewarded me with his playful smile.

He suddenly took back my goblet and filled it and his one too with a new portion of wine.

But as I already had this giddy sensation I said my firm no to him.

He simply shrugged his shoulders.

“As you wish.” And he finished the second goblet.

He saw the silver light of Ithilivren that hang on a lanyard around my neck and his eyes burnt with desire.

“Where did you get this?” He inquired.

“Lady Arwen gifted this thing to me.” I confessed honestly.

Next moment he pushed me to the wall and attacked me with fervent kisses. His hands were eagerly pawing my body, feeling me everywhere. I was pushing him off severely aside opposing him.

I wanted to cry for help but he got to know it and clamped my mouth with his palm.

His tipsy eyes watched me with regret.

“Aw, I’ve got you frightened, my little one. I’m so sorry about this.” And after it he snuggled up to my lips again with such ardor that I got dizzy. Besides, elvish wine got finally into my head and it relaxed me so significantly that I stopped resisting him.

Thranduil was torturing me mercilessly with such sweet kisses that I seemed to return them to him. Far far away inside of my mind a thin voice was squeaking, begging me to stop. It was getting quieter and quieter with each second fading away.

The scene changed and here’s me lying on the Elven King’s bed in his arms; and he whispers in elvish in my ear and fondles me gently.

I don’t know why but my mind that refused to obey me suddenly painted an image of Thorin in front of me and for a single moment I imagined that he was embracing me now. And then my senses sounded alarm as present sensations were quite different.

If only you knew how difficult it was to rescue oneself from the arms of seduction that was sweeter over sweet but had vicious roots.

I forced him to part with me.

Thranduil’s annoyed eyes gazed questionably at me.

“No.” I said firmly again.

“Why?” He was intrigued. “What’s wrong?”

My thoughts rushed about like a host of wild horses in all directions. “Come on! Invent something!” I pushed myself.

“Because… I...because I...” I was fumbling with words casting lost glances at the Elven King who seemed to lose his patience.

“Because you what? Time’s up!” He licked his lips ready to get back to my seducing.

“God! Teriana, do something!” Flashed in my mind when I noticed him grinning slyly at me understanding that I ran short of time and arguments for distracting him and that an attempt of mine was mere vain.

The moment he was going to kiss me I uttered my words.

“Because I’m your sister.”

“What???” the King of the Silvan Elves didn’t believe me as he burst into mocking laughter. “You must be kidding, girl. I don’t have any sister.” His curious eyes of astounding azure were studying me. “It feels like you simply wanted to play with me. I intend to think that you’re still afraid of me.” He licked his lips impatiently. “Maybe I mmm...your first? Eh?”

My cheeks turned crimson once I stared weirdly at him.

His warm palm caressed my cheek as if comforting me.

“In this case, you shouldn’t worry. I will be gentle to you, my little one.”

His azure eyes were slightly blurred and his glance was full of longing desire.

“Teriana, you’re a stupid, gormless sheep!” I heard a rebuking voice in my mind. “He doesn’t believe you! Do something else! Urgently!”

The Elven King’s lips lowered to my neck showering me with tender kisses that were so pleasant to feel. I got hot in his arms and then he unclasped the top of my dress and was moving lower and lower.

“That tender way I will treat you, my little one,” he was puffing excitedly while saying his words. “Don’t be afraid of me. I will only do good to you. I’m your savior, you must confide in me.”

His lips were gifting me so teasing and so tempting sensations proving his words and driving me crazy that soon I think I even moaned and arched towards him.

“That’s right. So right, aha!” He praised me.

That thing turned him on greatly and he caught me in his arms tightly and his lips touched mine forcing me to merge in this lustful passionate kiss that was so difficult to escape because my mind switched off again. My heart hammered like wild in my ears and blood put pressure on my temples; surroundings became like in some haze and that meant I was completely besotted with him.

“You will treasure this moment of utter unforgettable delight in your mind forever.” The Elven King promised fervently, dragging off my dress.

My eyes caught the bright shining of Ithilivren and I remembered Arwen’s words.

“Lady Arwen told me about this.” I inserted my palm between our faces when Thranduil planned to kiss me again.

“What?” His voice rang irritated. I believe he was feeling kind of tired of my unwanted words.

“That I’m your sister.” I stated stubbornly.

A snort of resentment at my remark followed immediately.

“I already said that I don’t have any sisters. Stop it!” the Lord of Mirkwood warned me.

I heard him getting angry.

My hand wrapped around the amulet as if seeking for help.

“Don’t you see that we look alike?” I made an attempt to reason with him. “Look at my eyes and at my hair color! Look thoroughly because everything you see is your bloodline traits!

The King of the Silvan Elves got frowned. He seemed to lose his ardor, his blood was up. Yeah, blood boils without fire.

“My father Oropher had no children except me. I’m telling you this so for the umpteenth time.” He obstinately announced through clenched teeth.    

I tried to remember the book and came to conclusion that he was right.

My invented idea was about to fall apart. Therefore I decided to resort to my artistic skills.

“I’m not sure that you are right, brother.” I said kindly smiling at him.

The Elven King made a wry face.

“Don’t call me that way! I see you for the first time, I know nothing about you!”

I smiled nicely again. I succeeded in distracting him from my seduction and I continued to perform my part.

“That is because we were separated in early childhood.” I demonstrated a very sad expression and suddenly rushed into his arms and hang on his neck.

“Oh, I’m so happy that I’ve found you, my dear brother!” I had to play last trump and burst into tears.

Thranduil’s tipsy eyes showed me he was fully abashed and felt ill at ease. He certainly didn’t like my shameless behavior.

“You must be crazy!” it escaped from him suddenly.

“All right, I’m on the right way and you are following me.” I thought.

“I was missing you so much!” I kissed his cheek. My anguished voice and tearful face got him hard and eventually met his worst expectations that I was fully out of my mind.

I think now we turned tables because the Elven King became that one who was afraid of being close to me.

Thranduil turned red with anger suddenly.

“I know who you are!” he shouted in ire, upping from the bed and grabbing me. “You’re an impostor who has the intention to put up a swindle and seduce me! You’d use me first and then you steal away something precious from me!”

“What?” I couldn’t get other words out of my mouth, his phrases blew my mind. “Can you imagine me seducing the Elven King? Any of you? No? My answer is negative too.”

His azure eyes were blazing with flames of wrath.

“Yes, I’m right.” He shook me in the air, squeezing my shoulders. “Who sent you here?” Thranduil voice thundered. “Dwarves?”

I shook my head gazing into his crazy eyes.

The Elven King’s grinned derisively.

“So I was right, Teriana. Your hirer is now in one of my dungeons. And his name is Thorin Oakenshield. Am I right?”

I shook my head again.

“No. He doesn’t know that I’m here.”

Thranduil suddenly pressed me tight to his body and showed his ivories.

“Making excuses proves guiltiness.” He mentioned suddenly and licked his lips. “I think I could use you as you are the same damn attractive as me, but…” His hungry leering glance slid about me. “But...I prefer not to deal with spies this way. So you will be guarded to your dear dwarf right now.” he threw me onto the bed. “Dress yourself quick!”

My hands gripped my dress and I put it on.

The Elven King cast his annoyed glance at me and opened the door.

“Guards!” he roared.

I was sitting on his bed thinking about my lot.

“A fine time to lose my chance to escape your place!” I thought. “I mustn’t allow you to put me in Thorin’s chamber. Well, but I think somehow this idea could be very alluring…”

The Elven King intervened in my thinking when he turned.

Two elven guards marched to me and raised me from Thranduil’s bed.

“Farewell, Teriana!” smiled arrogantly Thranduil, straightening up. “Send my best regards to the King under the Mountain, I think he far and away missed you and will be glad so much to see you again!”

His hand tore my amulet from my neck.

“And this thing I will keep as a memory of you.” stated the Elven King and pushed me slightly in my back.

I cast my glance full of contempt over the Elven King and the following moment his guards pulled me away from his chamber.

They were leading me down and down now and I felt disgraced and was in shock of my shameful behavior. But along with it I felt happy that I was lucky to slip away from hot paws of seduction. Now it was time to get away from the guards.

Sometimes I really felt very lucky and believed that the Fate was hugely gracious to me.

It kept me safe from trolls and goblins even twice from the last ones. It led me through the meandering darkened rift in the mountains; it saved me from the spiders and brought me safely here. It prompted me the necessary tactic to escape the hot welcome of the Elven King Thranduil. And how many more times will it come to my aid because our adventures gain strength becoming much harder than they were before.

I gave a chuckle inwardly.

“I’m your sister, old chap!” and fell into a muse over our similarity for a second. That was just an unfathomable fact that we looked so much alike.

“That’s very bad of you that you took Ithilivren. I hope I will have an opportunity to get it back as soon as possible.” Promised I and felt the passage turned left.

So back to my escort, I waited for a suitable opportunity to buzz off and thought about Thorin. “Maybe I should let them put me in Thorin’s dungeon?” I felt that I did miss him. “But will Thorin be happy to see me as his chamber friend? I will cut off my escape routes this way.” My heart was beating in my ears. “No, that will be very stupid to do. I must run away.”

We reached the lowest level and ahead lay spanless darkness. One of the guards stepped to the wall to take the torch and that moment I darted forward running fast from them into darkness.

They started chasing me right away yelling in irritated voices.

Damn it! It was extremely stupid idea to escape into unknown, in such a dark place in a word. Never do this! My words proved this theory as I stepped on my hemline right there and then came a smasher down the stairs. I thought I would break my neck any moment.

Gosh! That hurt so much that I cried in pain. But I had no time for breaks because the guards still followed hard behind me.

I banged against the wall and hit my nose painfully and then turned a clumsy pirouette and collapsed into somebody’s arms. I wanted to yell but next moment the person that held me squeaked to hush me.

I guessed that it was Bilbo and we both lay down on the ground between the ledges. The guards were cussing in Elvish searching for me and we both held our breath and waited for the moment they’d disappear.

It happened only in several minutes. And I asked Bilbo below my breath.

“What are you doing here?”

“I was looking for our dwarves.” He said.

“Oh, yes. I remember I didn’t tell you about it.” I said to myself and told him. “Thanks for covering me.” And I squeezed his fingers.

“You’re welcome.” Bilbo answered.

“I think I’ve got a plan, but we need to wait until the dust settled.” I informed him.

“Aha.” the Halfling responded.

I revealed my adventures to Bilbo and showed him Ehlorin’s room when it was empty.

The hobbit liked my story especially the joke about knickers. In the end I assured him once again that I had a plan but we needed to wait just a little. So we both got back to so called previous behavior.

I believe two days have passed since that moment of my promise and suddenly I understood the time to act has come. I wanted to use my chance and help Bilbo to free our dwarvish companions.

By the time I was going to endeavor anything I got to know from Ehlorin that Galion is that necessary man, a key keeper and that made the situation a bit easier. A kind of mischievous scheme has been getting mature for about two hours in my head. When I understood that I’m ready to make it true I got my belongings together and switched on my phone. The beautiful elven dress was packed carefully and I put on my t-shirt and denim shorts again. I wrote a note for the girls.

_Dear Laurinel and Ehlorin,_

_I’m deeply grateful for your care and hospitality_ , _and for all that endless amusement you’ve been creating for me throughout fortnight. But I have to continue my journey because I’m needed in other places. That’s so good to feel useful. Please don’t worry everything will be all right with me because I’m leaving with my friends. Please stay the same nice, merry girls._

_Farewell, yours Teriana._

_P.S._

_To Ehlorin: Wish you all the happiness in the world with your dear Galion._

_To Laurinel: Stay true to your heart. Live through the spirit of your dreams._

I gave Ehlorin’s room a sad once-over, this modest but rather cozy dwelling of my friend, a hospitable and affable elven hostess that shared it with me all this time I’ve been here, and left it for good.

That morning Bilbo was still looking for dwarves. And as for me, I had another idea.

I got accustomed to use my phone as a player because it was good for nothing else, I couldn’t call anybody here. So today that should have to play its important part in this chapter of the story.

Ehlorin told me that tonight they would have another feast and that denoted her friend Galion would prepare wine for celebrating. Plenty of alcohol that will be drunk out.

My elven girl also let me know that before every party Galion and his friends taste all the wine that will be served for their king to experience the quality of it personally.

So I think you already guessed what I expected them to do.

But I simply wished to accelerate the process.

I put my phone in my pocket and went downstairs to the wine vault where Wood-elves started drinking big bright and early. Yes, these elves knew the sense in the drinking as you remember.  

There were three of them a little bit tipsy already and I wanted them to drink themselves to death, well, to sleep I mean. He-he-he!    

My backpack was placed on the ground and a very teasing song began playing once I pushed the button.

All three of them ran out of the vault to this strange sound and turned short right away as soon as they saw me dancing. (I prefer to call these moves as hips wiggling)

It felt like these guys found my moving very captivating and their eager glances were just chained to my twitching body. Ha ha ha!

_Ooh_

_Can't quit, take sips_

_Wanna taste you_

_Ooh_

_Make wish, use lips_

_Kissing strangers (huhhh)_

Shouting this sassy emotional interjection I slapped on my hip and blew them kisses.

Cheering outcries, whooping and applause sounded immediately and three elves drained their current portion of wine.

_Kissing strangers…._

_Na na na na na na na na_

_Till I find someone I love_

_Na na na na na na na na_

_Kissing strangers (huhhh)_

_Na na na na na na na na_

_Till I find someone I trust_

And then somehow I turned be inside the vault and climbed the wooden table continuing this disgraceful but really working performance (it drove them totally crazy). I mean this damned wobbling and kiss blowing.

_Na na na na na na na na_

_Kissing strangers (huhhh)_

_Open heart, open mind_

_Never know who you'll find_

_Open heart, close your eyes_

_Kissing strangers (huhhh)_

I hit on my buttocks that moment and made such a tempting pirouette that elven guys whistled at me approvingly. They kept drinking on and on, and I felt so glad inside.

_Na na na na na na na na_

_Till I find someone I love_

_Na na na na na na na na_

_Kissing strangers_

My hands started demonstrating gestures for drinking, and the elves clung to their goblets again.

_Ooh_

_Can't quit, take sips_

_Wanna taste you_

_Ooh_

_Make wish, use lips_

_Kissing strangers (huhhh)_

To the end of the song all three elves were dancing, copying my moves.

I kissed my palm and blew a kiss and winked at them in the final.

“Hey, she winked at me!” let out a gay cry one of them.

“No, Galion, she winked at me!” argued another.

“No way, she’s mine!” interrupted them the third elf.

I saw a jealous fire in their eyes. It looked like the fight was right around the corner.

And it broke out in a minute. Three drunken elves got to hitting out at random having completely forgotten about me.

“See what your innocent affectionate gesture had done?” followed someone’s thin piping voice nearby.

I shuddered in surprise.

“Bilbo, is that you?”

“Yes.” he answered. “I managed to find almost all the dwarves but I couldn’t find Thorin.”

We kept watching the elves’ hard fighting and chuckled at them. They already were staggering from tiredness and one of them was ready to collapse onto the ground any moment.

“I know where he is. We will go now there.” I whispered to hobbit.

“You do?” I heard astonished and happy cry in response. And at that second one of the elves has been knocked out by an accurate jaw punch of Galion. It happened the very moment my phone started playing the song OMG.

 “Yes, he’s deep in the dungeon on the lowest level.” I said to Bilbo and we both burst in merry giggling.

Galion and his partner disposed of each other in a minute. Oh, it was so ridiculous and funny!

“Oh, my god! Look, Thranduil’s coming!” I yelled out like a madman rushing between them and snatched a bunch of keys from Galion’s belt.

And at that moment they banged their heads together simmering with anger.

I let out a cry of wild delight and we rushed hand in hand with Bilbo downstairs leaving the drunken Wood-elves knocked unconscious and without keys.

Oh, guys, no doubt you’ll get plenty of punishment from your king later.

***

To execute a swift operation we agreed to split up – I let go Thorin out and Bilbo releases the rest of dwarves.

I took one key from Galion’s bunch of keys at random, switched on my flashlight and headed myself deeper where the other elven dungeons were.

For a strange reason a phrase from dear Svrcina’s song has played in my head.

_“I’ll be you flashlight_

_In the dark._

_When there’s a blackout_

_In your heart._

_I’ll be by your side_

_Till you can find your way again.”_

Don’t know why it came to me that moment but it instilled confidence in me and made me believe that I’m doing a very important work liberating a pivotal figure of this story, the future King of Erebor. Of course, I wasn’t going to think myself too grand because of this.

I should mention here that the fortune favored me as they say and my key chosen at random fit the lock of Thorin’s chamber.

But it felt like Thorin looked not so glad I helped him escaped from it.

At first, of course he was greatly amazed how it came out that I managed to do it and even tried to find out where I got the key from chamber. But seeing the rest of his company coming to us, he quickly shot.

“Thanks.”

I produced a very quiet snort of resentment. It looked like he still couldn’t forgive me my “being a hero” before orcs.

Walking together with dwarves to our freedom I regretted once again that Bilbo had the only one ring. One crazy idea came to me all of a sudden. But I hesitated as I had too little time to realize it.

When we reached the vineyards and Bilbo started persuading the dwarves to get into the barrels by arguing with them I quickly ran up to him and whispered in his ear.

“Can you lend me your ring for a moment?”

Bilbo gawked at me first; he was left guessing where I got this but then suddenly remembered my escape from guards and shoved the one ring in my hand.

Running away I shouted to the others. “I will be quick!”

“Where did she go?” Thorin muttered expressing his annoyance.

But there was no one to answer him.

And I in the meantime was flying upstairs along the passages to familiar chamber. I don’t remember running like this in my life. So when I finally reached Thranduil’s chamber I fetched wind. I simply was out of breath.

I slipped into the open door and looked around. Thank God it was empty inside.

My eyes were scanning his room for Arwen’s crystal and then I’ve found it on the table before the big mirror.

I gripped it swiftly like a robber and put into my pocket. I was very glad that I found it.

Turning away I was about to hurry to Thorin and his company but then my mind visited a curious idea. I reached for my red lipstick and started to write on the mirror.

I stood back to admire my message to the Elven King.

“But that one who dares the Rose to break

And forcibly wishes virginity to take

To experience love of a rosy bud

Smitten will be and will shed he his blood.”

I smiled pleasantly. It was written just to my satisfaction. By the way, Rose is my second name.

Going to leave I noticed a very familiar blade near the bed that I hadn’t paid my attention to before because I was too busy with numerous attempts to get rid of the insistent, intrusive Elven King.

I approached it. No doubt, that was Thorin’s Orcrist that was taken from him by the Wood-elves. Within a few seconds I’ve been hesitating what I should do with it. Simply saying – take it with me or not. I wasn’t able to foresee the way where the story goes, so my incautious step could have brought to unpredictable consequences. My hand touched the curved hilt of the sword and then slid along the runes on the blade. “What an excellent specimen of ancient weapons!” I thought to myself and evoked Thorin’s image in my mind. He’d definitely want to have his sword back. “He will be glad and thank you for it.” a voice in my head said, urging me to take away Orcrist. My hand has already wrapped around the handle going to pull it to me but suddenly I reminded myself that the sword had no scabbard.

“How am I gonna carry this blade without it and besides how Thorin will be able to use it without it?” I asked myself. My eyes sought for its sheath around but it was in vain.

I gazed at Orcrist anxiously. “Hope you will help Thorin fight his opponents bravely and save his life.” I wished it to happen and sighed out.

With a sense of accomplishment I left “desecrated” king’s chamber and hurried to the dwarves. A barrels’ riding waited ahead and for a reason I remembered a water park. Who knew that this is egregiously silly to compare this hard trial with such kind of amusement?

But what the Romans said about the will?

Ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt. (The fate leads the willing and drags the unwilling)

I felt I had no choice if I wished to be a part of such a brave company of Thorin Oakenshield. And what would you do if you were me?

Feeling that exciting sense of worth inside, I smiled boldly at myself, and rushed headlong down the passage.

Oh, boy! The most horrible experience was right around the corner.

I think I will omit here a description of this extraordinary way of escaping from the Wood-elves that Bilbo invented. I do understand that there was likely no other way to run away from the Woodland Realm that was well protected, but I must say it got me really hard. My brain was flooded with adrenaline. I don’t remember screaming myself like this in my life. I was going crazy every second from my barrel’s spinning and throwing in all directions due to the rapid streams of the Forest River which carried me on forth, and all that was along with a threatening danger for me to fall out of the barrel. I was choking with water and banged against the wooden surface endless times that I lost count. Can’t tell you about the others, well, I heard some dwarves yelling and groaning but I felt pretty awkward because it seemed to me that I’ve been yelling till the end louder than anyone.

My misfortune, like the misfortune of others came to an end when all the barrels collided and finally reached the shore.

I couldn’t get out from mine because it became too slippery and Bilbo amiably helped me to do it (Who knew that soon we will have to get inside of them again?) All my things were wet and my backpack was dripping with water. I took out my phone but it was fine and still worked. Casting curious anxious glances over the dwarves which were wet and looked very funny I understood suddenly that I looked absolutely the same.

I blushed to the roots of my hair watching Thorin looked asquint at me and I uttered.

“I’m sorry I must look a bit of a mess.”

But then Bofur came up and clapping me on my shoulder, corrected me.

“You should say I must look more gorgeous than usual!”

And then his words elicited my broad smile; I simply couldn’t restrain myself from laughing together with him.

And after it other dwarves got our frolic once they looked over their wet appearances and began to chuckle. Even earnest Thorin did smile a bit.

But Bilbo seemed to spoil everything.

“If only you could see how sprightly she danced before elves. They simply fought for her!”

“Danced before elves? Fought for her?” Thorin’s expression was bemused and his glance was so strict that it caused my eyes downcast. My ears burnt with shame.

Ah! Thanks God, next phrase of the Halfling improved the situation.

“Actually, she did help me with the elves. But for her, I would have never found a way to get the keys from the keeper and wandered around for another week waiting for the suitable moment. I would have never found your prison chamber in elven palace, Thorin. She helped me to find it.”

Bilbo and the others looked at me with gratitude and respect, and I felt embarrassed again.

But as soon as I felt Thorin’s glance softened I felt better.


	7. Esgaroth

Well, all’s well that ends well. I’m talking about barrels’ riding and further travel to Lake-town. I repeat this plan of escape from the Elven King was quite inventive but had too bad consequences for the two of us. Guess for whom? Right you are, for me and for Bilbo.

As soon as the raft-men loaded the barrels on their rafts we began sneezing along with the hobbit.

I tried to close my nose to stifle this fit and it helped me a little, but not for much longer.

This misfortune continued very soon during the rafting down the river.

But since the waters of the river were loud I don’t think anyone could hear us. Although the barrel was big it was completely uncomfortable for travelling. It was too narrow for me and besides smelled of wine. It felt like it was saturated with wine odor. Shortly I thought I smelled of wine too and I was giddy and felt stuffy. It’s hard to imagine what’s happened to the others, but I think they felt the same way.

Watched pot never boils they say and I lost all sense of time and was ready to get out from the barrel any minute. But I knew that I would spoil everything now and asked myself to wait a little, and then a little more.

I began counting to a hundred, tried to enumerate dwarves one by one several times. Oh, no matter what I did I couldn’t distract myself.

But then everything got quiet. I came to the conclusion that we had reached the shore.                     

As you might remember from the book the first one who got out from the barrel was Bilbo.

He came to my aid and then we together began to help the other dwarves to crawl from the barrels.

Poor fat old fellow Bombur was either asleep or senseless. Ori, Nori, Dori, Oin and Glóin were sick and seemed half alive. Brothers Fili and Kili had one or two bruises. Well, the rest of Thorin’s company looked a bit helpless too. They lay muttering and moaning and could hardly realize they were free at last.

My head was spinning like a ball, I stumbled like I was drunk, and I felt nausea and all this.

Bofur was worried about my health and I had to lie down on the ground and tried to relax a bit. Say, I’d tried and managed to do it. But as soon as I recovered I started sneezing again. Bilbo seemed to support me.

We were sneezing our heads off. Yeah, let’s consider our escape from Thranduil’s palace quite successful.

What happened next you, dear readers probably remember well.

“A large house was given up to Thorin and his company; boats and rowers were put at their service; and crowds sat outside and sang songs all day, or cheered if any dwarf showed so much as his nose.”

So let’s not waste time and go straight to the descriptions after it.

Close to the evening right after Bilbo I predictably fell ill as well.

Bofur saw me outside the house and stared at me weirdly.

“What?” I was wondering why he’s so curious.

“Your cheeks are red like tomatoes.” he stressed.

Oh, that is why I felt hot! And not because of the warm coat I was wearing because the weather was pretty cool.

“Please don’t tell Thorin, but I seem to have caught a cold, like Bilbo.” I pleaded with the dwarf in hat and he asked me in his turn.

“Why?”

“I do not want him to worry about me. And it’s just a common cold, so I’ll go downstairs and get some milk and honey, and I’ll feel better.” I explained.

“I can go and buy all this for you.” the dwarf proposed amiably.

I smiled at him feeling embarrassed.

“Aw, thank you so much, Bofur! You’re so nice!” I thanked him.

He approached and hugged me.

“It’s my pleasure. Get well soon! Now go to your room and have a rest. I’ll bring you some warm milk with honey.” he said and smiled kindly.

To be honest, I’m not sure I remember getting to the bed and falling into it. I think I was delirious in my sleep, I can say that my sleep was restless and wasn’t very fast.

Somewhere far in the distant haze a voice of pleasant tone rang calling my name. I felt someone shaking my shoulder at first sluggishly and then a bit stronger but I couldn’t wake up and kept sleeping.

“Please wake up. I brought milk with honey.” Someone’s voice repeated for the nth time and I opened my eyes towards that pleasing my ears voice.

Oh, how I was stunned when I saw Thorin before my bedhead, Thorin with the mug again.

I sat up in my bed gazing at him with genuine surprise, and uttered.

“I have a very strange feeling right now. I feel like I’ve seen it all before.” I confessed.

The dwarf realized what I meant and replied.

“You’re not the only one who does.”

And suddenly our warm smiles met.

I think I blushed even more that time if I may say so.

But Thorin broke the silence and handed me his mug of hot milk and honey.

“Thank you.” I said and took a sip from the mug.

Thorin kept staring at me. And I felt slightly lost.

“I’m so sorry I fell apart and delay you.” I apologized.

Thorin’s eyes smiled with a kind of indescribable gentleness.

“Sometimes you can be very mysterious and incomprehensible.” He mentioned it.

I couldn’t help but agree with him waiting for him to continue his talking.

“I can’t tell you why but sometimes I have a wish to ask you about us.” His eyes were closely gazing at me.

“Us?” I choked on my milk. And I did it very stupidly, I should say, and poured some on me.

He ignored it and got back to his speech.

“Yes, us,” he continued. “I meant our company. Durin’s day is close and we need to reach the Lonely Mountain in time. Will we be able to do it in time?”

I cast down my eyes meditating.

Oh, that bothers you!

“I think everything will be fine and we will reach Erebor just right in time!” I assured him.

“Good!” his eyes expressed a mixture of hope and pensiveness and looked through me. “I wonder what lies ahead...”

I frowned and suddenly shuddered.

“You really want to know what awaits you?” asked I.

Thorin’s thoughts were far away, perhaps already in Erebor but he heard me and responded.

“Yes. You said I’d find the Arkenstone. But what about the dragon?”

What happens if I reveal everything to him now? Will I change anything in this story and its final will be different? Or maybe it remains the same as it was in the book? Who knows? Anyway, I decided to embellish my words.

“Well, as far as I remember, Thorin, you will succeed in all your endeavors, the precious gemstone of your bloodline will be found, Smaug the dragon will be slain and you will be…”

The last word almost came out of my mouth, but I managed to hold it.

My fingers tightened around the mug, my knuckles turned white and I hushed.

“Go on. Why did you stop talking?” Thorin wondered. He was far too interested.

But I looked weirdly into his big bright blue eyes which were just in front of me and shimmered with some magical soft light, and felt mesmerized.

Delightful warmth spread inside me and I felt absolutely the same way when he held me there in Beorn’s place. I’m sure it wasn’t because of the hot milk I was drinking. Thorin seemed to notice the awe with which I was gazing at him and gifted me his favorable smile. Oh, how silly I must have looked at that moment! 

“I will be king, you probably wanted to say?” Thorin brought me back to my story.

I had to agree with him at the present moment. It was simply unforgivable to tell him anything else.

“Oh, yes! How did you guess?” I showed him my well-willed smile.

“Well, that’s natural.” The dwarf breathed out. “I think the end is quite predictable.”

I could hardly resist grabbing him in my arms, begging him not to go to Erebor, to hold him at all costs. Oh, I wish the end of the story would be different. I wish I could change it.

But all I could do now was clench my teeth and simper consent.

Thorin suddenly gave me a warm hug and wished me good night.

“Get well soon! I’ll visit you in the morning.”

“Good night and thank you!” I still couldn’t recover from his pleasant warm touches.

Thorin left, I leaned back on the pillow and closed my eyes.

It’s been the first time ever I didn’t want to escape from the story. No matter what, I wanted to go all the way with Thorin and his company.

I didn’t care that I shivered with fever and that my teeth chattered. I could only feel the tears rolling down my flaming cheeks and turning into streams to ease my suffering. I thanked Thorin inwardly that he left in time and he not sees me here crying like a silly girl.

After a while I dipped into slumber and slept till noon.

My dream was as beautiful as anxious at the same time.

The precious images of Thorin framed by the warm golden light soared and shifted in front of my eyes like a kaleidoscope slowly bewitching me.

My heart felt elated filled with ravishing sensations and it sang in happiness inside of me.

Surrounded by this sweet pleasance I forgot about everything in the world and bathed in golden beams of bliss.

But then something really terrible happened as if this magical mechanism had broken and the images one by one began to collide and break into pieces.

It looked like a collide-a-scope already and my heart cried in agony and scalding poignant tears of pain came out with a gush. A collide-a-scope of tears.

Tears were choking me and I couldn’t stop weeping.

I was hot from the fever I couldn’t tell the dream from reality – everything looked like chaos. And no wonder, because I didn't take any medication to lower my temperature. I was completely out of my mind and let the hours pass into oblivion.

I managed to escape these weird emotions that haunted me down and woke up in a cold sweat.

I looked around madly, watching the modest surroundings and trying to understand where I was.

The door creaked open.

Bofur came in and brought me cheese and some bread and tea.

He put the tray on the table beside me and inquired.

“How are you?”

I sat up on my bed and smiled nicely thanking him.

“Not so bad.”

He rubbed his nape and suddenly stated.

“Do not think so badly of me. Ah, well, late on the yesterevening when I fulfilled your request and was already near your room Thorin held me and I had to tell him everything.”

“I’m not angry with you!” I sent Bofur my soft smile assuring him of my good intentions.

He nodded in agreement.

“Bilbo’s getting well too and sends his best regards to you.”

“Please send him mine as well.” I asked him and added. “What about the others? What are they doing?”

Bofur crossed his legs and answered.

“Balin went to the local market to find something; Fili and Kili are hanging about the Lake-town. The others are in and I don’t know what they’re busy with.”

Bofur was a very nice fellow. He told me about the old days and their life in Erebor and in Ered Luin. From the moment I covered Thorin and due to the recent events he began to treat me with new respect like the other dwarfs.

“Perhaps my stories are already known to you.” he said and noticed that I couldn’t keep my eyes open.

I shook my head.

“No, I’ve never heard of them. I’d like to know each new thing about all of you.”

The dwarf nodded.

“Can I borrow your magic box for listening?” requested Bofur politely.

Turns out he had a soft spot for Svrcina’s songs like I did. Sometimes he took my phone and listened to her music. His favorite song still remained the first one he heard, that was Universe of Two.

Although the battery was low and I began using the second power bank I couldn’t simply deny my friend to take it.

“Yes, of course you can, Bofur!” I replied to him.

“Thanks. I could play clarinet for you.” he mentioned and smiled gladly. “Perhaps, I could do this in the evening, do you mind?”

“No, of course not. I would be happy to listen to your music.” I made an effort and smiled at him, feeling like I was being thrown into a fever.

Bofur understood everything and winked at me.

“I see you need to rest. I’m gonna go now.” Bofur said, getting up and was about to leave.

“Ok.” My voice was already sleepy and sluggish. After conversation with Bofur I felt weak again, so I closed my eyes and fell asleep unnoticed.

A cold shiver ran down my spine as that horrible chaos seized me with its tenacious tentacles again. I got lost in moans in my sleep. It was like my heart’s all torn up and my head’s all split. And no one seemed to be able to get me out of this nightmare.

“Teriana.” I suddenly heard someone calling my name. “Teriana, wake up!”

Someone’s warm fingers squeezed my hand urging me to regain my consciousness and return to reality.

I could hardly open my eyes and saw before me a vague vision.

“It’s me.” a hoarse voice said.

Then after a while I felt something cold touched my forehead.

This refreshing coolness helped to ease the pain and reduce the fever.

Little by little I recovered my senses and the fever that has been torturing my body for so long was gone.

I opened my eyes to meet my kind-hearted savior.

That turned to be Thorin Oakenshield who decided to visit me the same evening.

It was dark outside, and he lit a candle and put it on the table.

I noticed a wooden mug in his hands.

“Milk?” I suppressed my nervous giggle.

“Yes,” he answered rejoicing at my recovery and handed it to me. “How do you feel?”

I shrugged my shoulders looking into his beautiful eyes.

“A little better. Your milk works the miracles.”

I heard him laughing heartily.

“Well if milk works the miracles I can bring it to you a thousand times a day.”

Your presence works the miracles I did want to tell him beholding him with reverential awe. But of course I didn’t say it aloud.

“Thorin, may I go home as soon as you return to Erebor?” I inquired.

His face reflected his bewilderment as he tried to understand what I meant.

“Sure you may.” He answered after a short pause. “But why do you keep asking me that? I said that I didn’t hold you.”

I got confused.

“Just asked.” I mumbled and finished my milk.

“Thank you for your concern.” I put the mug back on the table and lay down on my pillows beholding Thorin’s face in the candlelight. 

“You know what,” I said suddenly. “You call me strange and I think it’s strange that I turned to be here.”

The dwarf’s eyes studied me pensively for a moment.

“Everything is strange in this world.” He said. “Even that you were born an elf and not a dwarf can be called strange.”

His words about elvish origin caused me smiling.

“I can only see that all things are interdependent. But for you, our enemies would have gotten me or we would have never escaped the Wood-elves.”

I sneezed, interrupting him.

“Bless you!” commented Thorin.

“Thanks. Surely there could be another person such as Bilbo.” I responded to him and sneezed again, feeling a shiver. I reached for my handkerchief.

“Bless you!” the dwarf repeated and answered my guess. “No. Everything happened as it should have been. No other ways are possible. Even now when I’m sitting here talking to you. It’s not just a coincidence. You might be a pivotal figure in our story.”

“Your thoughts are strange.” I uttered suddenly and chuckled huskily, coughing.

“See!” Thorin confirmed my guess. “I didn’t say strange, mind you. You did it.”

“Oh, you’ve got me!” I pushed him slightly and sneezed again. And it was louder this time.

“Bless you! I think you need another mug of milk.” He stated with concern.

I nodded and reached again for my handkerchief saying in reedy voice.

“Thanks. Milk may run out very quickly if you bring it to me so often.” I joked.

“Don’t worry. Kili and Fili hauled a huge bottle of milk from the market.” The dwarf hinted to me in a merry voice.

Of course, after these words I started laughing loudly imagining the size of the bottle and all the milk that I was supposed to drink. My laughter sounded so cheerfully that Thorin joined me too.

That night as well as the next two nights turned out to be very hard for me. Everything was fine during the day and that meant that I was in good spirits. Bofur and the other dwarves visited me to wish me a quick recovery.

But by nightfall every good thing turned into bad and huge annoyance and then black despair overwhelmed me torturing me with just an unbearable fever. And hopelessness took possession over me, making me feel worthless and forsaken. These moments were the hardest trials for me. I lay in my bed, staring at the dark wooden ceiling and crying helplessly swallowing my tears.

Once Thorin noticed my veined red, swollen with tears eyes and seemed to guess that I was shedding my tears.

He sat down at the bedhead and took my hot hand in his.

“I see how each of us anticipates and cherishes the moment when we can finally reach our homeland. I also see that the present moment two of our company are experiencing difficulties and have not a pleasant period of their lives. I want us all to be able to get to the Lonely Mountain.”

He leaned over me very close and whispered.

“Your red-rimmed eyes reveal that you have been crying, Teriana. I know how hard it is for you to feel like this. But I’m asking you to wait just a little. Just hang in there; we’ll get through this. I will make every effort to support and help you. I will be days and nights by your side, should you need it.”

His unexpected offer frightened me so much that I immediately sat up in bed and was quick with my answer.

Perhaps, most of us would have answered him. “All right, get started!” And will be pretty pleased with this alluring proposal. I felt pretty pleased too but I did not want him to worry about me. I considered it unnecessary, a bit out of place.

That is why I felt very awkward and that is why I voiced my answer right away.

“Thorin, I do feel so much obliged to you for everything, for your care. But please don’t trouble yourself. I can manage.” And I cracked a smile.

“Good.” His lips demonstrated me an encouraging smile. “I would have expected nothing else from you.”

Yet, Thorin regularly brought me milk and tried to cheer me up with his stories. You don’t believe me but he’s changed significantly since he met me for the first time. The dwarf became more attentive and felt comfortable enough around me to make jokes.

I also reveal to you one little secret – my crystal glowed brightly every time he was close by me as if it felt my inner happiness. It looked like Thorin also took notice of it.

And one day the dwarf even joked on this matter after he had told me a funny story.

“Your sincere smile gladdens me so much and it’s a perfect foretoken as it promises a soonest recovery. You shone brighter than this silver crystal around your neck.”

I looked down timidly. If he only knew the reason for my “shining” I think he would be astonished a lot. But I didn’t want to tell him about it. Let it remain my and only my secret.

Well, but back to my current disease and my wondrous recovery.

Indeed, Thorin’s sunny resilient attitude to life tuned my low emotional pulsebeat to the right rhythm.

So I think I was out of my mind for only two days or so and then everything finally things got better.

A few days later, when we left Lake-town by boat it was October. “Winds were cold and leaves were falling fast.” as one famous book says.


	8. Durin’s Day

Durin’s Day was approaching which meant that “the final day” was also very close. I must stress that I won’t talk too much about our ascent of a mountain to find the secret door and how it was opened because I think you’ve all read about it in the book. In this chapter, I would only like to tell you how greatly I was impressed when we entered the mountain, and how shocked I was when I saw Smaug the Dragon. And of course, about what happened to the dwarves after they returned their treasures.

By that time Bilbo had already disturbed the dragon and this giant beast was prowling about Erebor sniffing out something delicious for dinner.

When you contemplate something really, really great in size I’m sure you feel stunned, mesmerized by it so much that you don’t even think about being eaten or scorched by an all-sizzling hot fire.

Smaug the dragon was tremendous and impressive though I wouldn’t use such word to describe it. Better to call it awesome, I believe.

But as much formidable it looked so much fascinatingly gorgeous it was. Extremely big emerald-amber eyes, red glossy scales with precious sparkling gems stuck between them except for one place that lacked one scale, right on its bosom.

To describe my astonishment it’s suffice to say that I stood with my mouth open in front of it hypnotized by its magnificence.

The dragon watched me closely too and had by no means gentle feelings.

And so the moment it opened its jaws to exhale the fire, Thorin managed to push me forward and soon he dragged me into some small cave.

“Are you crazy?” He shot out angrily.

His rebuke brought me to life immediately and I felt ashamed that I left ourselves wide open.

“Forgive me.” I asked him. “I’ve never seen a dragon in my life.”

Thorin nodded knowing.

“You’d better never meet it and never have to endure all the suffering my family and my folk have gone through.”

He cast his anxious glance at me.

“It’s all right. Let’s go to the others.”

I sent a nod and followed after the dwarf into utter darkness.

The ground under our feet was uneven as we walked through a long tunnel. Due to the meandering rough road and sudden frequent turns I stumbled over each ledge and every wall and even fell on the dwarf once, and soon Thorin had to entwine his fingers with mine and help me to move carefully. He knew this mountain better than me and I decided to confide in him. It was stuffy and for a moment I felt sick and I likely squeezed his fingers.

He seemed to have listened well to my senses and stopped for a moment.

“Please just bear it a little longer Teriana; we’ll get through this.” He said quietly as if comforting me.

I don’t know why but I remembered my previous experience of passing tunnels in the dark in the Misty Mountains cold. But that time I was completely alone and anxious and I walked like a blind person and as you know I was lucky to find the way out. This time everything was different, and although I felt anxious too the dwarf’s presence kept me calm. I can’t say how long we spent in total darkness but when we came out of the tunnel, I froze for the second time.

Guess why?

I was lucky to see Smaug once again. This beast crossly chased the other dwarves from the opposite side of us. As soon as it sniffed us out we had to run fast with Thorin.

But when Smaug exhaled its lethal cloud of fire I riveted in my steps again.

“Damn! It’s a real firedrake!” I cussed loudly in astonished voice, gawking at the beast in front of me.

Thorin had to force me to tear my feet off the ground and run after him. I mentally scolded myself for being stupid.

In all this crazy turmoil I forgot to mention that I managed to lose my phone somewhere.

That nuisance troubled me strongly, because I was deprived of my favorite songs. The songs those helped me to survive and supported me in every way, the only thing that connected me with the outside world.

So I hurried after Thorin feeling depressed and sure that I would never see it again.

However, the situation with the dragon was evolving rapidly. As soon as Smaug realized it had been fooled by the dwarves it remembered about Lake-town and it headed itself to sow death there.

I knew in advance what would come of it, and noticed that the dwarves were alarmed that the dragon had flown away, and some of them went up to the guarding tower to see where it had disappeared.

Certainly, at first the dwarves tensed expecting some trick but then relaxed. Where do you think everyone went? Your answer will be counted if you say to the treasure hoard.

At last everyone was busy with the treasures he craved after so much. Especially Thorin who was now looking among all these gems, golden goblets, jewelry and other precious things for the only one, the most precious stone of all, the one that was no longer in the treasure hoard.

I left the dwarves who were completely engulfed with gold and decided to try to find my phone, recollecting the way we ran with Thorin, looking for familiar places. But if you could only know how big this mountain was inside you would consider me crazy :-) I’m sure you would say it’s impossible.

My search brought me to a completely different place, I’ve never been. I turned to be on one of the balconies.

Broken boulders of green marble lay on the floor and it was littered with smaller stones.

On one of these boulders sat the hobbit beholding pensively the stone in his hands. And it was a jewel iridizing with all colors.

He immediately hid the gemstone in his bosom and cast down his eyes.

“That’s just me, relax!” I chuckled, and Bilbo felt at ease right away. “Thorin is looking for his jewel.” I warned him.

“I know,” he said, and I heard a sad note in his voice. “He never stops talking about it. Moreover, he is glued to his treasures.”

“What? Has it already begun?” I inquired feeling troubles coming, and for a moment I forgot about my phone.

Bilbo gazed at me questionably.

“I mean the dragon-sickness.” I explained. “Avarice took possession of his mind and rules it.”

Instead of the answer I saw Bilbo nods.

I was going to tell the halfling “The disaster is just beginning. The real madness is ahead”, but I kept mum.

But I had to say something to Bilbo and so I tried to invigorate him a little.

“You know, sometimes things turn different in the end but it doesn’t mean that we have to give up. Never shy away from a challenge, never back down. I believe that one day Thorin will come to his senses. I think we should just wait and see.”

Bilbo listened attentively and nodded all the time agreeing. He smiled faintly at the end and I even thought he had found hope.

While our conversation with Bilbo several dwarves climbed up the Ravenhill, the old guarding tower to examine the positions.

For some unknown reason the birds kept gathering to the Lonely Mountain.

And there was a familiar thrush that flew back to the dwarves and it brought with it a decrepit raven of enormous size. Roäc was its name, and it was Carc’s son.

The old raven greeted Thorin and informed the Durin’s heir of Smaug’s death.

All the dwarves were rejoiced, but not Thorin because first of all it was news of the approaching elves and men hungry for his treasures. And as he was a leader with a stern and resolute manner, he asked Roäc to fly to the Iron Hills to call on his cousin Dain Ironfoot because he urgently needed reinforcements.

His decision was forehanded. As you know from the book the news about Smaug’s bane spread fast and the elves immediately moved towards the Lonely Mountain once they heard it.

Meanwhile, Thorin continued to search for the stone which hasn’t yet been found.

It felt like this matter irritated him to the utmost. He began suspecting everyone, sniffing treason in every corner and finally promised to avenge on anyone who would find and withhold the gemstone.

By the way, I forgot to mention that Thorin’s dwarves changed their garments that no longer held together and found more suitable outfits.

Bofur kept up with his brethren and so he provided me with warm cold-protecting clothing too. It was a bit coarse but very comfortable and I received furry boots too, so I began to look like dwarves a lot.

Of course I wasn’t searching for the damned stone that made the Dwarf King sick and at first I spent my time idly wandering back and forth through the passages of the Lonely Mountain. I didn’t go far for fear of getting lost in the Dwarvish Kingdom. I’ve already resigned my mind to the phone’s fate that was lost.

It felt like this senseless rummage also tired Bofur a little and so he secretly joined me two days later. From that moment on we weren’t bored. My dwarvish friend found a piece of coal and a very good look-out appeared for us.

To tell the truth, I had a crazy idea to depict a sort of a scene and write Thorin + Teriana = ??? But thank God, neither I did the first thing because I had no artistic skills nor did the second as it looked like sheer madness and I couldn’t decide what connected me and Thorin and what this math mark was equal to.

Bofur was rather smart and much inventive type in this area.  

He drew a line of Durin on one of the columns and like Balin told me a long and glorious story of old times. I listened to him fascinated until Thorin interfered. He approached us and wondered about the stone but then noticed Bofur’s art and mentioned.

“He is not yet a King who not owns the King’s jewel.” And he erased Bofur’s depiction of his own.

“Come on, Thorin. It will be found sooner or later.” the dwarf in hat had encouraged his king.

“Better sooner before everyone gets here for my treasures.” Thorin muttered irritably looking aside and then proudly withdrew himself.

Bofur shrugged his shoulders and turned back to drawing. He wanted me to learn Khuzdul runes. I really tried to be an earnest pupil although at first they seemed the same to me.

The dwarf endured my mistakes patiently, and in a few days I was able to write my name TERIANA on a column among all the drawings that Bofur had left.

This kind of light entertainment was the only thing we could afford with the dwarf. We had fun chatting and drawing. Bofur kept asking me about my world, he was interested in everything in the world and he admitted that he would like to visit it at least for a moment. While the rest of the dwarves were busy searching for the sacred stone of the Durin’s Folk, one of them was shirking the task all the time and was with me. Thorin obviously did not like it and when he once again passed by and caught us drawing, he sullenly mumbled something about the Arkenstone, gave us a dissatisfied look and left. This went on for a few days, and then Bofur found my phone and brought it to me. My elation was boundless and I threw myself on his neck, hugged and kissed him. But then I pulled away from him and blushing shyly said.

“Thank you so much.”

Bofur, unlike me, was not taken aback and took my hand.

“You know, Teriana, I’ve been meaning to tell that you’re very beautiful.”

These words made my cheeks flamed with fire and I was so embarrassed that I wanted the ground to swallow me up. Before my eyes I had an image of Thorin and I thought “A fine kettle of fish!” However, Bofur was very tactful and decided not to push me, although perhaps I do not exclude that he guessed that I’m very fond of Thorin. In general our relationship remained at a friendly level, and I was glad.

By the end of the week wandering through the passages of the Lonely Mountain I found Bilbo again on the same balcony. Now that all the dwarves were busy preparing for war as Thorin had ordered, the hobbit became needless and therefore he sat here forsaken and no one around here even cared.

“Have you thought about giving it to Thorin?” I asked Bilbo as soon as I saw him.

“Yes, I have,” he said realizing that I was talking about the stone and paused. “Have you noticed how greatly Thorin has changed? He is not himself I wish you could see this.” he stated grimly.

I understood that the hobbit was right and sighed sadly.

“I’ve never seen him like this.” Bilbo’s hands enfolded his head as if he was going to hide himself.

I saw something silver sparkled under his shirt, and I squinted.

“What is it?” I asked him knowing the answer in advance.

“This is Thorin’s gift, a mail.” Bilbo’s voice sounded indifferent. “He said that it was the first payment of my reward.”

He paused for a long time, remaining silent, and then continued.

“I’m immensely worried about him.”

I nodded, looking into his alarmed eyes, and mentally said.

“You not the only one who is.”

“The trouble is I’m not sure that with gaining of the stone Thorin will give up these warlike affairs.

“He won’t do that.” I agreed. “Smaug would rather revive than Thorin stops his military actions.”

Bilbo showed his weak smile.

It’s a pity, but we had nothing more to say to each other. The conversation was over.

Well, it looks like the situation has reached a deadlock.

I also felt greatly worried about the Dwarf King and I’ve had lots of sleepless nights this week. I put my phone aside as the songs I used to listen to seemed to stop working. Besides, the battery was low. The nights were cold and unpleasant, I lost my appetite and was busy, almost obsessed with only one thought - how to improve the situation. How to convince Thorin not to go on war with the elves and the men? It was next to impossible at the moment when his mind was totally engulfed in gold and the Arkenstone of course. All his time Thorin spent in two places - in his treasure hoard and his Throne Hall. I’ve never seen him sleep or do anything else.

He kept making us look for his precious gemstone which he had daydreamed of for so long and kept asking us if any of us had seen it. Whenever we answered negatively, he growled morosely at us, turned, and went away disappointed.

In his Throne Hall he paced proudly and slowly in his royal garments and his golden crown, watching with a heavy heart the former glory and regal splendor of the once great Dwarvish Kingdom, and regretting that he had so little time, especially now that enemy was almost at the gate.

The days passed slowly one by one and erelong Roäc's words came true and Thorin’s worst expectations were finally met.

In the middle of late autumn the great elven host led by the Elven King Thranduil reached the Long Lake and besieged the Lonely Mountain, not to mention Bard from Lake-town and his men.

The Dwarf King realized that his time to act has come. He waited for his cousin’s backup from the Iron Hills. I thought I caught a faint scent of inevitably approaching war in the air. So to say, the air smelled of war.


End file.
